Madness Returns Harry Potter Crossover
by thraxbaby
Summary: Alice Liddell finds out she's really a witch. Can magic help heal her memories and reclaim her mind? Who will help her?  **!SPOILERS INSIDE!**
1. You are a witch

Dumbledore sat at his desk staring at a letter. A Hogwarts acceptance letter, to be exact. Thirteen years ago, the wizarding world lost a member when a fire hit a muggle house and burnt it to the ground. The only survivor, a young witch named Alice, was sent to Rutledge Asylum for ten years. She missed her chance at attending Hogwarts, but when he heard Alice was out and doing well, he wanted her to get the education she should have gotten a long time ago. He was now writing a new letter. Hopefully, Alice would come home where she belonged.

*~*~*

"Fire! I'm in Hell!"

"Forget it! Abandon that memory. It's unproductive. Go to Wonderland."

"I can't. I'm trapped... in my past." Alice Liddell sat on the couch in Dr. Bumby's office.

"No, Alice! Discard that delusion. Forget it. Go to Wonderland." Dr. Bumby said.

"I'd rather not, Doctor. My Wonderland's shattered. It's dead to me." she said.

"Your preference doesn't signify, girl. Now, Alice, where are you?"

"I'm sailing. With a friend. Hmmm. It's different somehow. Things _have _changed." Alice said with hope in her voice.

"Change is good. It's the first link in the chain of forgetting."

"What's happening? Are you mad?" Alice's friend started twitching.

"I'm not mad." Dr. Bumby said with confusion.

"Rabbit?" Alice was concerned for her friend.

"That's not right. What's he doing here?"  
>"Is something wrong?" Alice asked her friend.<p>

"Something wrong? Raaaaatherr..." Rabbit's eye popped out and started spewing blood. His head then flew off, drenching Alice in blood.

"Oh, no! Not that!" Alice tried to keep the blood off her, but it just went everywhere.

"Don't struggle, Alice. Let the new Wonderland emerge."

"Pollution! Corruption! It's killing me!" Hands reached out of the newly blackened water around her. They scratched at her, trying to pull her under. "Wonderland is destroyed! My mind is in ruins!"

"Forget it, Alice. Block that dream! Wake at the sound." Alice screamed. After a failed attempt at getting Alice to forget her past, he pulled Alice out of her hypnosis.

"There, Alice. Better now, aren't we?" Dr. Bumby asked.

"My head's exploded and there's a steam hammer in my chest." Alice replied.

"Yes, well, the cost of forgetting is high." the doctor said.

"My memories make me vomit. " Alice said. "What can I..."

"Remember other things. "

"I want to forget! Who would choose to be alone, imprisoned by their broken memories?" asked Alice.

"I'll set you free, Alice. Memory is a curse more often than a blessing."

"So you've said." Alice interrupted, "Many times. And..."

"And I will say it again." Dr. Bumby went on. "The past must be paid for. Now, before our next session, collect those pills from our High Street chemist."

"Very well, doctor." Alice said. She got up and left, allowing the next patient to start his session. As Alice headed for the door, she couldn't help but think. _I know he's trying to help, but forgetting is so hard! To forget means remembering what to forget and my memories make me sick! _A flicker of fire sent her out of her thoughts. She turned to see that it was only a lamp. She took a deep breath and headed out the door.

Alice walked the streets of London. She suddenly realized the street she usually took to the chemist was closed. Guess I have to go around. she thought. She went around through alleyways and side streets when she spotted a white cat.

"Hello, puss. Puss, puss, puss, puss! Don't be afraid." She took a step closer and the cat darted into a side street. Alice followed it. Almost losing it deep in an alley, Alice thought. "Seems following furry creatures into dark holes has become a habit. I hope it's not a vice..." Alice soon lost sight of the cat and was in an empty street. An unnatural fog enveloped her and made it harder to see. Suddenly, she was surrounded. Men with Jabberwock heads closed in on her. Before they could do any harm, Alice felt a hand on her shoulder. Spinning around, she saw the Jabberwocks were gone, replaced by an old man with several feet of long silver hair and beard, half-moon spectacles, and an extremely crooked nose. He was wearing long, light blue robes and had a smile that could made a mad dog act like a puppy.

"Hello, Alice." he said.

"How do you know my name?" she asked.

"When your family perished, excuse me for saying, but we lost a member of the wizarding world. You might have been famous if it weren't for another tragedy that happened less than a month earlier." he said.

"Excuse me?" she said. _Wizards?_

"Alice, could you ever do something extraordinary? If you were scared or excited?" he asked. Alice couldn't think of anything at the moment. "You're a witch, Alice."

"What?" Alice asked, offended.

"I'm not insulting you. You are a witch. Muggle born, but magic no less." he said. He pulled a letter out of his pocket and handed it to her. "This should explain things better. " Alice saw her name on the front of the envelope.

"Wait... what-" Alice looked up but the old man was gone. Finding her way back to Dr. Bumby's, she hid the letter in her apron and walked into the door.

"Did you get the pills?" the doctor asked her. Alice completely forgot about them.

"Oh... well, the chemist was closed. I guess I'll try tomorrow." she lied. Bumby analyzed her, but left her alone. Going up to her room, she closed the door and opened her letter. At first, it was hard to focus, since she didn't like reading much, but it had vital information. She actually read it twice before putting it away. As she lay on her bed, staring up at the ceiling, she thought about the letter. She was a witch! She could do magic! Was this another hallucination? She hoped not. Would magic help her forget her past? She was soon snapped out of her thoughts as Bumby called her down to help with the chores.

That night, Alice sat by her window staring up at the moon. The glowing crescent reminded her of an old friend. Looking down at the street below, she saw a skinny gray cat pacing the ground below her window. Dr. Bumby hated the old tom cat, for it had scratched him on more than one occasion. Going to bed, Alice drifted off to sleep. Able to see the crescent moon from her spot on the bed, she noticed that two stars turned the moon into a smiling face. The cracks in the floorboards began to glow and soon gave out, sending Alice down, down, down, past cards and other playthings, black gooey substances with doll faces... Taking control of her fall, she began to slow down, her nightdress turning into a familiar blue dress. She slowed to a float as she landed in a somewhat familiar place. Across a shimmering river, appeared her old friend.

"About time, Alice." he said.

"Blasted cat! Don't try to bully me! I'm very much on edge!" Alice said, still thinking about that letter.

"Purrrrrrfect. When you're not on edge, you're taking up too much space." he replied.

"You're no help at all." Alice said, annoyed.

"But you know I can be." he remarked. It was true, but his "help" made Alice think too much, even if the answers were completely obvious.

"I'll frighten myself, when necessary thanks very much. I was hoping to escape from all that." Alice said.

"Abandon that hope, Alice." the cat said. "A new law reigns in this Wonderland. It's very rough justice all around. We're at risk here. You be on your guard." With that, he vanished. _So much like him; as soon as he says something actually helpful, he's gone._ Wandering further into Wonderland, Alice came upon a silvery mist. Once she touched it, she heard her sister's voice.

"You're part frog, Alice, I swear. You jump so well." Alice immediately thought back to when she met the old man._ "Alice, could you ever do something extraordinary? If you were scared or excited?" _She did. She would jump off anything back home... Pulling herself out of the memory, she wandered further on. Another silvery mist confirmed her thoughts: "If you leap from that table again, Alice, I'll expire. You're two times too reckless, my girl." The voice was her mother's that time. Moving on, she came across a large bottle pouring out a purple liquid. A label hanging from the bottle read DRINK ME. As she got closer, the cat reappeared.

"I've been down this road before. Good things in small packages?" she said to herself.

"Though lacking a bathing costume, a plunge in that pool is in order." the cat said. Cupping her hands to feel the liquid, Alice immediately began to shrink.

"My God! I'm shrinking in this potion! Shall I disappear?" Alice asked.

"Almost. But the upside is that while smaller you can see things that are nearly invisible to your bigger self." the cat explained. Once the liquid was up to her knees, she began to grow again, back to her normal height.

"Ah, I get it. Quite! 'Forests for the trees' - just the other way 'round. Short-sighted is more than a matter of perspective." Spotting a keyhole and another silver mist, she set off to explore more of her Wonderland.


	2. Hogwarts Express

The next morning, standing in the rain was Dumbledore. He wore a gray muggle suit and held up a yellow umbrella. He stood outside Houndsditch Home for Wayward Youth, where he knew Alice resided. Walking up to the front door, he knocked and waited for someone to answer. Dr. Bumby answered the door. Offering Dumbledore tea, the two men began talking.

Alice, in the meantime, was trying to reason with the Hatter, to get him to tell her where the train goes and who controls it. Instead, all the Hatter was going on about was tea. The only thing he said that made sense was to look for the Mock Turtle. Now, Alice was drowning in tea...

Waking from her dream, Alice heard voices downstairs. She got dressed while trying to distinguish the sounds of the voices over the pattering off the rain on her window. Sneaking towards the stairs, a child tugged on Alice's dress. When Bumby was preoccupied, she was the one the children went to for help or advice.

"Ollie pinched my smalls." he said

"Wear bloomers." Alice snapped. The boy pouted and walked away. Trying to hear what was being said downstairs, Alice picked up on more children talking.

"...Wasting doctor's time..." Alice turned towards them.

"I deserve my bitter tears. Want some?" she argued. She wasn't in a very good mood that morning, what with the Cat and Hatter being of no help whatsoever. She slipped down the stairs, staying off the ones that creaked.

"...I assure you, Alice will be in good hands."

"I'm not sure. She's fine where she is. Besides, she's a great help around the house." Dr. Bumby was complimenting her? Alice needed to know what was going on. She walked the rest of the way down.

"Ah, Alice!" It was the old man from the day before. "Ears burning, I'm sure?" He gave her a kind smile. She turned to Dr. Bumby.

"What's going on?" she asked.

"He wanted to offer you a job, but I told him you need to stay here." Dr. Bumby said.

"It's at the finest school in England. It includes food and housing, plus you'll be able to socialize more. I'm grateful for the friends I made while at my time there." the old man said to Alice.

"She needs my supervision." Bumby argued.

"I'd like to go. I can come back on holidays, right?" The old man nodded.

"Christmas, Easter, and summer breaks she can come back."

"And if something is wrong between then?" Bumby asked.

"I shall write you and bring her back myself." the old man answered. Bumby had his arms crossed, thinking it over. Alice looked up at him, eyes pleading. Bumby sighed.

"Alright. But get your pills before you leave." Alice nodded.

"We shall leave tomorrow morning. The train leaves at 11 o'clock precisely." the old man said. "I suggest start packing now." Alice hurried up to her room. She didn't have much. Just an extra skirt and blouse for special occasions, an extra apron, underwear, her nightdress, her winter boots, her red coat, and some stockings. She pulled down the drawings from her wall, packing them into her carpet bag. Last but not least, she took down the picture of her family. It was remarkable that this picture was the only thing not destroyed by the fire. Of course, the frame had been replaced, but the picture inside was intact. She carefully folded one of her skirts around it and placed it carefully in her bag. A knock at her door startled her.

"I'm sorry for startling you." the old man said. "But I think we should get you a few things that are mandatory before we leave."

Alice was amazed at what she saw. The old man opened a wall behind a pub, which opened to an alley full of people. Alice tried to take everything in. Joke shops, sweet shops, street vendors... everything was there. It was better than Whitechapel Market, more lively and colorful. Their first stop was at a shop named Olivander's. They stepped inside and a man with white hair looked at them from behind the counter.

"Professor Dumbledore! I hardly recognized you!" he said.

"Hello, Olivander. I had to go out in the muggle world. Didn't want too many stares. We need a wand for this young lady." Dumbledore said.

"Hello, miss...?"

"Liddell. Alice Liddell." Olivander took out a long box from behind the counter, opened it, and gave the wand inside to Alice.

"Give it a wave." Alice flicked the wand and a box flew out, missing Olivander by an inch. The box landed on the counter in front of Alice. "Try this one." Olivander took the wand from Alice and replaced it with the one from the box that almost hit him. She flicked it and tiny sparkles that vaguely resembled butterflies flew from the tip. "Perfect." Olivander said. "That is 13 inches, willow with a rosewood handle and phoenix feather core." Alice looked it over. Roses were etched on the handle. It felt perfect in her hand. Dumbledore paid for it and they left Olivander's.

As they walked towards the next shop, Dumbledore noticed something following them.

"I see you have a little friend." he said. Alice looked behind them and saw the gray cat that always scratched Dr. Bumby.

"I guess he follows me whether I like it or not." Alice said. "Apparently, he's been following me since before the fire."

"Consider yourself lucky, Alice. Kneazles are aggressive, but loyal and have an uncanny ability to detect unsavory characters. Perhaps we can get you a license so you can keep him." Dumbledore said.

"I suppose. Come along, _cat_." The animal didn't seem to like her tone, but followed her anyways. At last, they arrived at a pet store called Magical Menagerie. There, Alice chose an owl that was brown and somewhat skinny. "Looks a bit like Dr. Bumby." Alice mused. Dumbledore paid for the owl and her kneazle license and left for another store. They stopped at Madame Malkin's for some robes. After that, Dumbledore decided she had everything she needed.

"I'll take your things and have them sent to Hogwarts. I'll be there at 9 o'clock sharp. You'd best be ready to leave by then." Dumbledore said. Alice nodded.

Back at Houndsditch, Alice slept one more night in her now half-empty room. This night, her dreams were more peaceful. She was in complete darkness, save for a door with her last name over it. Through the window, she could see a fire burning. She went through the door and saw her family's library. Her mother stood next to her.

"Mother?" Alice's mother never took her eyes off the library.

"We'll all roast in our beds, Alice, for the sake of your father's unnatural devotion to printed paper. This horde of flammables wants only a malignant spark, and poof... Our flesh and blood is smoke and ash." Alice looked around the library.

"She's right..." Alice turned back to her mother, but she had vanished. Instead, she was at some pub, next to her nanny, who had taken care of Alice and her sister before the fire. "Nanny! How did I get here?"

"Everyone knows the 'mischief' began among your father's mountain of paper, Alice; the question is 'how'?" Nanny said. Alice asked for more information, but a knock on her door woke her up.

"Alice, it's time to wake up." Opening her eyes, she saw the cat sitting on her bed.

"You." she said with disdain. "You better leave before Bumby catches you." The cat only smiled.

"How was your dream?" he asked. Alice looked at him. Then, she told him about her dream.

"She was right, see? Our lovely library was a fire trap. A conflagration, waiting to happen!" Shaking her head to rid herself of the memories, Alice dressed in her usual clothes, then went downstairs to make breakfast for the other kids.

Pouring a ladle-full of grayish oatmeal into the children's' bowls, one kid made a disgusted sound. Alice whispered in his ear.

"Don't like this? Well, now you'll have to put up with Bumby's horrible cooking." _All the therapy in the world won't let you forget that! _She poured a little more oatmeal in his bowl and moved on to the next kid. After breakfast, Alice was double-checking she had everything ready. She was just putting on her coat when there was a knock at the door.

"Ready, Alice?" Dumbledore asked. Alice nodded then turned to Dr. Bumby.

"See you at Christmas, doctor." She stepped out of the house and small raindrops hit her head. The gray cat, which she now owned, fell into step beside her. Twenty minutes later, they stood on Platform 9 3/4. Alice looked up at the scarlet steam engine. "Papa was exceedingly fond of trains. I don't like them much." Alice commented. Dumbledore gave her a few gold coins and her ticket.

"Take this and board. I have a few things to take care of before I leave." As soon as Dumbledore gave her the ticket, he disappeared in the crowd.

"Well, looks like it's just you and me." Alice said. She and the cat boarded the train and found a seat. While waiting for the train to go, they watched the students scramble, making sure they didn't miss the train. Students walked the hall just outside the closed doors, trying to find a seat. Within half an hour, The train finally began moving. Rain splattered the window as they set off to Hogwarts. Alice was lost in thought, staring out the window when the compartment door slid open. A blonde boy and two groupies stood in the doorway. The two boys behind the blonde one reminded Alice of two orderlies she used to know. Her cat's ear twitched.

"Who are you?" he asked rather rudely.

"Alice. Now, go away before I sic my cat on you." she said. The blonde smirked.

"What makes you think I'm afraid of a cat?" he asked, laughing. There was a flash of lightning and the cat pounced at the boys, looking rather terrifying. The boys scrambled out of the compartment. The cat jumped back up onto the seat.

"That was fun." He said, grinning. Alice went back to staring out the window. When the witch with a cart of sweets came by, Alice bought some pumpkin pasties. She enjoyed the taste and offered one to Chess. He declined the sweet. Soon, she fell asleep. She was back in an icy land and had found Mock Turtle. They dived down below the sea and crash-landed on the ocean floor. Alice went all over Barrelbottom and an underwater cemetery just to find out that, of course, the Carpenter wasn't any help either and said to find Caterpillar. The Carpenter slaughtered the residents of Barrelbottom and the infernal train ran right into the theater.

Alice's eyes suddenly opened. All the lights on the train were off and it was freezing cold. Her cheek was half frozen to the window, which was covered in frost. In fact, all the windows of the compartment were frosted over, even in the hall. Pulling her face off the window, she realized the train had stopped. Looking out of the compartment, she spotted a cloaked figure hovering just down the hall. It went into a compartment just as another left. The cloaked figure spotted Alice and floated toward her. Suddenly, Alice felt horrible. The guilt of surviving the fire consumed her. She was thrown into Wonderland once more. All around her, she saw the train crash by and the wreckage it had done to Wonderland.

"This bloody ruin! It's corrupting all of Wonderland!" she said.

"Seeking refuge from the wicked world?" The cat appeared in front of her. "Perhaps things only 'look' like they've gone to hell."

"You're not that good a liar and I'm not that stupid. But something a bit less calamitous would have been welcome." Alice said.

"This unmitigated disaster is your doing. And it will get worse. Your train keeps a hellish schedule. Get moving! Time waits for no one. The change has begun..." the cat said.

"The Train is perfectly capable of terrifying me, Cat. You should find another job. Is there really so little hope?" Alice asked.

"There's even less... and if fear paralyzes you, we're lost." The cat disappeared and enemies formed around her. She was about to attack when she was pulled from Wonderland. She was then looking up at a pair of blue eyes. Their owner held out a hand. Alice took it and he helped her sit up.

"Dementors get to you, too?" he asked.

"That's what those things are called?" she asked. He nodded and broke off a piece of chocolate.

"Here," He gave her the piece of chocolate. "It'll make you feel better." The cat watched as the man helped Alice. The stranger was wearing an extremely shabby set of wizard's robes that had been darned in several places. He looked ill and exhausted. Though quite young, his light brown hair was flecked with gray. Chess could feel that this man had the potential to do great damage, though, like a typhoon, he didn't mean to. His ear twitched when he caught the faint smell of dog. The man went to go talk to the engineer. Chess sat closer to Alice. In no time, the train started up again.


	3. First day

Alice met up with the stranger, who turned out to be Remus Lupin. They rode in the carriage together, which took them up to the school. Chess watched Lupin as he and Alice talked. Just his name alone made Chess think he had something to do with wolves. He was going to keep an eye on this man.

Once at the castle, Alice was amazed at its magnificence. Walking through the large doorway, she was shocked to see ghosts passing by, both on the ground and floating up in the air. One politely nodded to her, though she could have sworn its head wobbled a little, like it wanted to fall off. Lupin and Alice sat next to each other at the High Table with the rest of the teachers. Suddenly, Chess was conscious of another character. Sitting on the other side of Lupin was a man dressed all in black with pale skin, greasy black hair, and a long, hooked nose. Chess sensed something off about him. _Great, another one to watch out for. Any more questionable characters and I'm going to need clones... _Students filed in and filled the four long tables in the Hall. Chess saw the blond boy and his friends and grinned. The boy did a double-take before sitting with his friends. Feeling satisfied, he returned to Alice's side.

Dinner went smoothly. There was a choir performance, Dumbledore made a speech, Chess got a free piece of steak, and both Chess and Alice found out who the dark man was: Severus Snape. He taught potions. At the mention of potions, Chess playfully touched Alice's leg with his tail, referring to the shrinking potion from Wonderland. She tried to kick his tail away, but his smile never left his face. She may not like him, but she needed him. Even though he only ever gave her cryptic hints, they were for her own good. If he always gave her the answer directly, then she would rely on him too heavily. No, she needed to figure things out on her own, but that didn't mean he was going to leave her.

After dinner, Alice was escorted to her room. It had a large, four-poster bed with light blue curtains around it, a table by the window with a vase of red roses, a wardrobe, and a bookshelf. Her carpet bag sat at the edge of the bed, along with her new owl. Removing them, she pulled out her nightdress and changed in the bathroom. Climbing into bed, she thought about her day so far. Sensing her anxiety, Chess leaped onto the bed next to her. He curled up and fell asleep. Within a few minutes, Alice did the same. In her dream, she saw herself, but as a small child. Her smaller self was putting a book away in the library, then went upstairs to bed. The next second, she was with her younger self outside, looking at a burning building. Alice then noticed a centaur retreat into the woods. Waking up with a gasp, she almost knocked Chess off the bed.

"What's wrong?" With that grin of his, she couldn't tell if he was being sarcastic or not, but she told him anyway.

"I was the last one in the library, the night of the fire." Alice said. "The log I added to the grate was dead when I went upstairs with Dinah. If it wasn't, I may be responsible for my family's deaths!" She put her face in her hands, trying not to cry. In Wonderland, he'd tell her to stop the self-pity, but this was the real world. He comforted her by leaning on her shoulder. Her hand stroked his face for a few seconds, then she took a deep breath. Suddenly, bright rays of sunlight shone through the window. Alice got up and ready for the day.

Alice's new job was being a teacher's assistant. She would sit in the classroom, helping with paperwork and such. The real goal was to secretly learn as one of the students. Alice would then practice the new spells in her room later. Her very first class was helping Professor McGonagall with Transfiguration. She was teaching first years how to transform matches into needles. Pretending to only tap her wand on the desk, Alice would try the spells when nobody was looking, one matchstick at a time. The first attempt turned the matchstick into metal like the needle, with string hole and everything, but was the shape and size of the matchstick. Finding it somewhat pretty, Alice pocketed it and tried another matchstick. The next attempt caused the matchstick to splinter. Tossing it aside, she tried again. A poof of flames erupted from the matchstick. Alice put it out, but she attracted the stares and giggles of the first years. Professor McGonagall stared at Alice.

"Sorry." Alice said, slumping down in her seat.

Half an hour later, Alice was sent to her next class: Potions. After this class was a break, where he'd help her with the first potion. She came in early, just after some third years exited the room.

"Professor Snape? I'm going to be your assistant today." Alice said. As always, she was backed up by her strange cat.

"Yes... Miss Liddell..." He got up and stood before her. He was at least a foot taller than her. He examined Alice, taking in her pale skin, slim figure, dark hair, long oval-shaped face and green eyes. _Those eyes... _"So you've never gone to Hogwarts? Why decide to go now? Thought you were too good for school?" he asked. Alice glared at him.

"It's none of your business, _Professor_. Now, what shall I do during this class?" Alice asked.

"This class, we're making a shrinking potion. You shall make yours after the class has left. For now, pay attention and take notes. I don't want any more mess than necessary." The first of the First Years filed in and Alice made herself comfortable by his desk. Once all the First Years were settled in their seat, Snape shut the door and gave the class his start of year speech.

" There will be no foolish wand-waving or silly incantations in this class. As such, I don't expect many of you to appreciate the subtle science and exact art that is potion-making." Snape started.

"He seems pleasant." Chess whispered.

"I'm sure the students think so, too." Alice whispered back. One first year looked like he was going to soil himself.

" I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death... if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach." He gave them their instructions and the students rushed to start before he got them in trouble. All the while, Alice listened to his comments, as harsh as they were. Watching the first years, Alice saw that their nervousness wasn't helping them concentrate. They were making a horrible mess trying to make their potions. One boy's hair got singed from a small explosion. One girl dropped in too much of an ingredient, turning it into a tarry black goop. By the end of the class, only about seven of the twenty two children got their potion close to right. Everyone cleaned up and left, thankful they'd have a break from the scary potions teacher.

"Why do you have to frighten them so much?" Alice asked. "It's not fair that you're snapping at them for every little thing, when they're trying to concentrate." Snape faced her, bringing his face down to hers.

"Life isn't fair. If those students don't learn to work under pressure, they won't be able to excel in the real world." Snape said with an intimidating look. "Now, I hope you paid attention." He set a cauldron on a desk, along with the ingredients she needed.

" I'll frighten myself, when necessary thanks very much." Alice replied. She read the ingredients: chopped daisy roots, skinned shrivelfig, sliced caterpillar, one rat spleen, and a dash of leech juice.

"No poppies?" Alice asked quietly. Chess shook his head in amusement.

"Remember to get it right. When it's done, you'll be trying it on your cat." Snape said. Chess glared at him. Alice carefully measured her ingredients, dropping each one in the cauldron. She only hesitated when she had to slice the wriggling blue caterpillars. Stirring her potion, she watched it turn bright acid green. Putting some in a small bottle, Snape marked the side.

"Now, let's hope you did it right." Snape said, dropping a drop on Chess. He began shrinking until he was only five inches high. His head seemed rounder and he was furrier, like a kitten. He mewed.

"Is that supposed to happen?" Alice asked.

"Yes. You passed... for now. You may go." Snape went to his desk. Alice left, with a tiny Chess trailing behind. There was only about five minutes before the next class. Students littered the hallway, socializing and having fun. Two red-headed boys were joking around with a group of students. Alice suddenly realized just how much of her life she lost in the asylum. _What I'd give to start over... _Alice thought. She went up some stairs, which suddenly decided to move over to a new landing. Holding onto the railing for dear life, she bolted up the stairs when they finally stopped moving. Walking down the hallway, she almost ran into Lupin.

"Hello, Alice. I thought you wouldn't be here until later?" he asked.

"The staircase seemed to have other plans." Alice answered. Lupin chuckled.

"Well, you're welcome to join my next class. I'm teaching the third years about boggarts." he said.

"I'm sure it's better than riding on the staircases." Alice said. Lupin smiled and they walked to his classroom.

All the third years stood in front of a shaking wardrobe. Alice stood next to Lupin, wondering if this was the best idea after all. A student's explanation of a boggart made Alice start to feel nervous. Chess picked up on it and leaned his head on her knee, since he finally grew back to his normal size and age.

"Alice? Would you like to demonstrate?" Alice's eyes widened. She timidly stepped forward, facing her reflection in the wardrobe. Chess's reflection winked at her. Taking a breath to calm herself down, Alice lifted her head more, giving her more confidence. "Okay, Alice. When the boggart comes out, use the spell, Riddikulus." Alice's hand felt clammy as she gripped her wand. Lupin unlocked the wardrobe and out crawled a large, half-mechanical creature.

"You selfish, misbegotten, and unnatural child!" It growled with a deep voice. Trembling, Alice took a step back. "You smelled the smoke, but you were in dreamland taking tea with your friends. You couldn't be bothered. Your room was protected and spared- while your family upstairs roasted in an inferno of incredible horror! How foolish you were to think you could overcome your guilt. Truth is always bitter to those who fear it." Alice glared into its glassy eyes.

"I fear nothing. Riddikulus!" The Jabberwock transformed into a rabbit with a waist coat and a watch. It was doing some kind of dance that Alice had seen once before.

"Good job, Alice!" Lupin said, clapping his hands. He chose another student to try the spell. Alice moved to the side of the classroom, where she was out of the way.

"You were amazing, Alice." Chess whispered. "You're a natural."

"Thanks, cat." Alice replied. Neville, the boy Lupin chose after Alice, stepped up to the wardrobe. The boggart transformed into Professor Snape. _I wonder why everyone is so afraid of him? _Alice thought. Snape strode menacingly towards Neville.

" Riddikulus!" Snape was now wearing a green dress, a vulture hat, and carried a red handbag. Covering her mouth, Alice couldn't help but giggle. Lupin praised Neville and played a record, giving the room a light, cheerful feeling. One by one, each student stepped up to face their fears: a snake, a giant spider... When one student's boggart turned into a dementor, Lupin stood in front of him. The dementor turned into a full moon that, after the Riddikulus spell, turned into a balloon and returned to the wardrobe. Lupin dismissed the class and Alice left with Chess.

"You might want to stay away from Lupin." Chess said on their way to the Great Hall for lunch.

"Why? I think he's nice." Alice said.

"He is now, but when the full moon comes around, he's deadly." Chess answered.

"Meaning?" Alice said.

"He's a werewolf." Chess said bluntly.

"You have no proof." Alice said.

"When the full moon comes around, you'll have all the proof you need." Chess remarked.


	4. Alice excels

Sunday afternoon, Alice sat in her room reading Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. Chess sat on her bed, curled up lazily. One glance at Alice and Chess could tell she was having difficulty reading the book.

"No pictures in there?" he teased.

"No! Really, if they want us to know what these creatures look like, the least they could do is give us a picture." Alice said.

"Then make your own." Chess suggested. Alice used her quill and drew a small sketch next to an entry. A few minutes later, she showed him.

"Happy now?" Next to the entry on kneazles, Alice drew Chess's smiling face with a speech bubble that said "Blah, blah, blah, cryptic message, blah, blah, blah."

"You're hilarious." Chess said sarcastically. Alice continued to read the book, adding the occasional sketch or note. Eventually, she grew bored of reading and snapped the book shut.

"I think I'll have a walk about the castle." Alice said. She stood up and headed for the door. Chess jumped off the bed and chased after her. They made their way around the castle; up and down the moving staircases, through corridors, to the library, and down to the dungeons. As they walked around the darkened corridors, a voice made Alice jump.

"Sneaking about the dungeons?" Alice turned to see Snape not ten feet away. He had a sneer on his face.

"I'm just taking a walk." Alice said.

"In the dungeons?" Snape asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I'm getting to know my way around the castle." Alice said. "That includes the dungeons." Alice put her hands on her hips. For a few seconds, Alice and Snape had a staring contest.

"Very well, Miss Liddell. Why don't I escort you _out_." Snape said.

"You're not getting rid of me that easily." Alice said, stepping closer to him. "You can't bully me. I'm not one of your students." Alice replied.

"Technically, you are. Now, are you going to leave or do we need to try another potion on your cat?" he said.

"Why?" Alice asked. "What are you hiding that's so important you want me out?"

"Why must you act like a child?" he asked, glaring down at her.

"Why are you acting so mean?" Alice asked back. Having no answer, Snape stormed off.

"Aw, just when I was enjoying his company." Chess said sarcastically. "Let's go." The two walked out on the grounds, despite the chill that lingered in the air. Alice followed Chess around the grounds, avoiding places where the dementors could see them.

"It's so open. It's nothing like London." Alice commented. "So much fresh air." Suddenly, the leaves of the trees around them frosted over.

"Run." Chess said. Alice didn't hesitate as she and Chess ran as fast as they could. From the corner of her eye, Alice saw something dark fly closer. One dementor almost got Alice when the two of them ran into the door of the castle. Running around a corner, Alice slammed right into Snape, toppling them to the floor.

"What the-? Miss Liddell!" Alice quickly got off him. "Would you watch where you're going!" he yelled. Chess looked around the corner and saw the dementor fly in. Backing up, they tried to fight off the depressing feeling. Snape sent the dementor off by sending a white, glowing animal out of his wand.

"Sorry... we were... chased by... dementors..." Alice said, out of breath. Snape wiped himself off.

"I could see that. Well, next time don't aggravate them." he said.

"I didn't aggravate them! I was just walking!" Alice snapped back.

"Well, maybe you should stop doing that!" Snape said. Their argument was attracting the stares of students. "Back to your dorms!" The students scrambled to get back to their rooms, or at least out of sight. "As for you, I suggest staying in your room before any more creatures come chasing you." With a swoosh of his robes, he disappeared into the castle. Frustrated, Alice stomped back to her room. As soon as she was safe in her room, Alice buried her face in her pillow. Chess sat at the end of her bed, watching her vent her anger.

"Why is he so infuriating? I've done nothing wrong to him, yet he tells me off and... UGH!" She covered her face with her hands. When she removed her hands, however, she saw that her anger sent her somewhere she didn't want to be. She was in Wonderland. Where, she wasn't sure. That Infernal Train ruined everything, bits and pieces of land floating everywhere. She was confronted with several Insidious Ruins. Whipping out her vorpal blade, she slaughtered them. Finding a familiar object belonging to the caterpillar, she inhaled, breathing out smoke. Each one revealed the way to go. _Hmm. A hallucination within a hallucination? Somehow, that seems familiar... _Alice thought. When she was confronted with two madcaps and an eyepot, she knew she was in the Hatter's domain. Feeling somewhat sorry for the mad man, she defeated the enemies within minutes. Going forward to battle more enemies, she couldn't help but feel distracted. Gaining damage from a drifting ruin, she sliced at more enemies. _He sent me back to Wonderland. If he knew what was going on, I'd confront him. _Her enemies were slain and she suddenly noticed something.

"No." Looking around, Alice saw herself- a statue of herself crying that was always in the Vale of Tears. Behind her, she saw the abandoned- and now destroyed- Looking Glass Line station. The most beautiful area of her Wonderland was completely destroyed. She had to find Caterpillar and find out who was responsible for the Train. She went forward, riding on steam vents, landing on platforms. As she drifted in the air, she saw another silver mist. She rode the steam vents up to it and touched it. The voice that escaped from the memory was Elizabeth's, when she confided in Alice she tried smoking once. "Oh, Lizzie." Alice said, remembering when it happened. Moving on, she almost landed on Chess when she was floating to a new platform.

"The sight, the stink, the sinister sound. What have you imagined, Alice?" he asked.

"You know it's not my fault, Cat! Getting mad at Snape sent me here, though I don't know who controls that Infernal Train! Whoever it is, they're the one ruining Wonderland." she snapped. She ran towards a colossal ruin, attacking it with her pepper grinder. She was bombarded by other ruins; having to go back and forth to each one as they attacked her. It took a little longer than usual, but she defeated her enemies. Before going to the last hookah, she saw a little area that hadn't been completely ruined by the train. Revealing the rest of the way, she approached the piece of land.

"It's not only about you, Alice! Look at the destruction around you! Consider its cause. Then, come join me." Alice knew it was the caterpillar saying that. She landed on the little patch of heaven and saw a tiny island in the middle of a shallow pool. Looking around for caterpillar, she heard a voice.

"You are familiar with the saying that smoking stunts your growth?" Caterpillar asked.

"Adults assault children with that adage, usually while they've got a pipe stuck in their mouths." Alice replied.

"I won't ask you to inhale. Let the smoke envelope you." As the white smoke surrounded Alice, she felt herself shrink down to no more than three inches high. She looked around her. It was all decorated with Asian-influenced designs. She thought it looked quite pretty. That is, if half the things there weren't trying to kill her.

Chess sat on Alice's bed, guarding her body. After venting, her body had gone limp. The stress made by her and Snape's fight caused her mind to fall back into Wonderland. He would slip into her mind only when he thought he needed her, but otherwise he stayed outside, guarding her body from harm. He was lucky she wasn't moving. Sometimes her hallucinations caused her to wander aimlessly, only seeing the evils of Wonderland and not the stares of other London citizens. Suddenly, Alice stirred. Blinking, she woke up.

"Well?" he asked, wondering about what happened in her mind.

"I'm closer to caterpillar." she said. She looked at the clock on her wall. Only 4:35. She's spent all day doing absolutely nothing productive. "I wish these hallucinations would just stop! If I'm going to be part of this world, then I want to be able to do something without the danger of falling into Wonderland."

"Then why don't you ask Dumbledore? I'm sure he can find something for you." Chess said.

"For once, you've said something helpful." Alice said.

"I'm always helpful." Chess said as he followed Alice out of her room. Alice made her way to Dumbledore's office. Before she could get in, though, a gargoyle wouldn't let her pass.

"I need to speak to Dumbledore!" Alice complained. She was about to go back when she heard voices. She then saw Snape complaining about something to Dumbledore.

"...She's just so..." When he saw Alice, he nodded to Dumbledore and stormed off.

"Hello, Alice. How is your stay here?" he asked.

"Good, thank you." she answered. "I was wondering if there was something I could do. I mean, I know I only know the little magic I've learned this week, but I want to do something bigger. I want to do something useful."

"Alice, Why don't you start taking extra lessons from the teachers. When they say you're ready, I'll have you start doing patrols. How does that sound?" he asked.

"Good. When do I start?" she asked.

"I'll talk to your teachers, then I'll get back to you." Dumbledore said. Alice nodded and left. Alice spent the rest of the day in the library. She checked out a few books on spells and practiced in her room. By 1:00 in the morning, the apple she had been practicing on was cut, bruised, and singed on one side. Exhausted, Alice went to bed. Her dreams took her to that Mysterious East. She jumped onto floating tiles and went over bridges. She knew she saw these designs only once: in Radcliffe's office. He was a collector of Ming vases and samurai swords. A large koi fish that seemed to be made of paper jumped out of the water. Alice made a mental note to be careful of them. Along the way, she found a fish with a chain in its mouth. She pulled the chain, which revealed more of the path ahead.

Alice took in more of the scenery when she was higher up. Porcelain flowers decorated some of the platforms, more large koi fish swam in the grey waters, dragons and tiles were everywhere. Moving on, she jumped from platform to platform, searching for caterpillar. Looking up, she noticed a large mountain.

"With my luck, he's probably at the very top of that thing." Alice said. She went ahead, finding a memory of her sister, then, after going into an origami ant village, a memory of Dr. Bumby.

"Hmmm. Why would he be one of my broken memories?" Alice asked herself. Out of the blue, she was ambushed by some wasps. They wielded samurai swords and wore masks. They were tough to beat, but in Wonderland, nothing could stop Alice. She defeated them and , in a cave, Alice found another fish chain. She pulled it, which, again, showed more of the path to caterpillar. Going along the path, she came to another ant village. All the huts belonging to the origami ants were destroyed and on fire. Dead ants were everywhere, as were blood stains. More wasps appeared from behind a statue and Alice went to attack.

"Alice..." Alice heard a voice call her name, but she was too preoccupied to look where it came from. "Aaaaliiiice..." Suddenly, Chess appeared.

"Wake up!" Alice sat up in bed.

"What was that for?" Alice asked.

"It's Monday morning. If I didn't wake you, Snape would have another reason to argue with you. Now, get moving!" Chess ordered.

"Alright, alright..." Alice got up and dressed. She changed out of her nightdress and into her usual black and white dress. Running a comb through her hair, she looked at herself in the mirror. The door was open behind her, showing a reflection of the photo of her family. _You'd have loved this place, Lizzie. _she thought. She put on her black robes and went out for breakfast. She sat next to Lupin, who seemed to look more tired.

"Look who's trying to fit in." Snape said.

"I'm just taking my job more seriously." Alice explained. Snape raised an eyebrow. It turned out to be true. Alice suddenly started to excel in her classes. She was moved up to third year in Potions and Second year in Charms.


	5. First Patrol

Alice took a whole month and a half before she was able to do patrols with the other teachers. Reporting to Dumbledore's office, Alice was excited to be able to do something helpful. It was 10 o'clock, just after the students' curfew.

"There you are, Alice. Ready for your first patrol?" he asked.

"Yes, sir." she answered.

"Well, your patrol partner is waiting for you down by the Great Hall. You better hurry before he leaves without you." Alice nodded and went down to the Great Hall. To her surprise, Snape was waiting there. _I should have known. _Alice thought.

"Good evening." Alice said politely. Snape pointed his lighted wand towards Alice.

"Miss Liddell? What are you doing here?" Snape asked.

"Doing patrols." she answered.

"Dumbledore..." Snape sighed. "Very well. Let's get this over with." Their schedule was to patrol the first floor and the dungeons. They walked in silence. The only thing stopping Alice from just going back to her room was Chess walking next to her. It felt awkward.

"So... Professor Snape. Where are you from?" Alice asked, hoping to break the tension.

"I'm not one for small-talk." he answered. The silence afterward made him feel a little guilty.

" Spinner's End. It's in an industrial city in northern England." he answered. "You?" he asked.

"Oxford." she said. "My father was a dean at Oxford University." Alice paused. "I really miss him."

"Feeling homesick?" he asked.

"I've been homesick for twelve years." she responded.

"Meaning?" he inquired.

"I- I don't want to talk about it." she said quickly. She wiped a tear away.

The rest of the patrol was done in silence. It was almost 1:30 AM when they finished. Snape escorted Alice to her room.

"Good night, Professor." Alice said quietly. He noticed her voice cracked a little. Then he noticed her for real: sickly pale with disheveled black hair, and round, pale green eyes with darkened skin around them, giving the impression that she is tired or has been crying. Possibly the latter, considering she was missing her parents.

"When we're on patrol, it's just Severus." he said.

"Okay... Severus." She closed her door, putting a barrier between the two of them. Snape was suddenly interested in the girl. _Homesick for twelve years? What does that mean? _he asked himself. Walking back to the dungeons, he wondered about Alice. Meanwhile, Alice sat at the end of her bed, looking at the portrait of her family. Even though it was dark, she knew what it looked like. Her father looking proud, her mother looking stern, her sister looking beautiful, then Alice, looking a little annoyed she had to stand still. At least they let her hold her rabbit. Another tear slipped down her cheek. She silently got ready for bed, hoping her dreams would give her some peace. Hopefully, she could find Caterpillar. She was wrong.

In her dream, she was being taken away by orderlies, the ones who first took her to Rutledge. The whole time, Alice was screaming. "My past is dead! I killed them! I should have saved them! I should have died!" Suddenly, the two orderlies ripped off her arms, eating them like drumsticks. Then, an ugly face appeared before her and swallowed her whole. Screaming, Alice woke from her nightmare. She hid her face in her hands and cried. She hadn't felt this depressed since Rutledge. Lighting her wand, she went to her table and wrote a letter to Dr. Bumby:

**Dear Doctor Bumby,**

**Life at the school is good. I'm learning so much, not to mention the food is fantastic! However, I'm writing to you because I'm starting to feel depressed again. I know you've always told me to forget these things, but the guilt is just eating me up! I'll explain more when I visit in December.**

**-Alice**

Alice took her owl out of its cage, handed him the letter and let it fly off. She hoped owls were as bright as they said. She didn't want some Peruvian family to get her letter instead, or some creature in the forest. She closed her window and laid back on the bed. Hugging herself, she tried to blink back the tears that came. Whimpering, she buried her face in her pillow. She hated feeling like this, like she was completely alone in the world. She felt Chess move closer to her. She held him close, holding him like a stuffed animal. He laid his head on her chest. Throughout the night, he felt her cries turn to sniveling, then soft breathing. He knew how much pain she was in. He, too, lost someone in the fire- Dinah. She was a sweet little cat who was his best friend. He sympathized with Alice. She went to Rutledge at age 10. She came out of her coma at age 20. She'd lost her family, her childhood, and any chance at being normal. He wanted to do more for her, but, being only a cat, he couldn't. He loved Alice- like a brother would love a sister. He vowed to protect her from the first day he met her. He drifted off to sleep as he thought of the memory, which followed him to his dreams.

It was spring. A light drizzle sprinkled Oxford. Chess was walking through the neighborhood. He'd just left his family and was looking for adventure. He was young, though he wasn't foolish. As he walked past a house, he got that spark on the back of his neck; that feeling he got when he was around someone extraordinary. A ray of light shone down on a window, accompanied with the sound of a baby crying. He climbed up through a window and up some stairs. Peeking in to the door, he examined the scene before him. A woman was laying in bed, holding a little wriggling baby wrapped in a blanket. A man, presumably her husband, stood next to her, looking lovingly at the baby. A young girl, about 10 or 9 stood next to her father, trying to see the baby. A large woman stood at the foot of the bed, wiping her hands clean.

"What shall we name her?" the man asked.

"Mama, can we name her Alice?" the young girl asked.

"Alice is a fine name." the mother said.

"Welcome to the world, Alice Liddell." the large woman said.

"Alice." Chess whispered. The scene changed. He was sitting in the shade of some bushes, watching a two year old Alice play with her sister in the grass. Alice clutched to a toy rabbit. Spotting the cat, Alice pointed at him and said, "Mine!" Her older sister, Lizzie, looked where Alice pointed. Seeing the cat, she tried pulling Alice away. However, it was too late. Alice got up on her tiny legs and ran towards him. Petting him, she said the word again. "Mine." Too low for her sister to hear, he said, "Yes, Alice. I'm yours."

"Alice, please. It probably has fleas." Lizzie said. Looking at the cat with round green eyes, Alice smiled.

"Mine." Sighing, Lizzie knelt down next to her sister.

"You love animals, don't you?" she asked, smiling. "Come on, Nanny probably has lunch ready." Alice let Lizzie lead her away. When little Alice looked back, Chess smiled.

"Don't worry, Alice. I'll never leave you." he said. Once more, the scene changed. Arthur Liddell was having tea with one of the undergraduates from his school. As they did the usual small talk, nine-year-old Alice came running into the room, followed by her now 18-year-old sister. Alice had Lizzie's book. Lizzie laughed.

"Alice, give it back." she said.

"But there's no pictures in it!" Alice replied. Lizzie laughed again.

"I don't care." They stopped when they saw the man sitting on the couch. "Sorry, Papa. We didn't know you had company."

"Oh, it's alright." Arthur Liddell introduced his daughters to his guest. Chess felt a hand on his head. Waking from his dream, he found Alice stroking his head, seeing it was the only place on his body that still had fur, minus the end of his tail. The dark circles around her eyes looked darker.

"You don't have to go to class today. Just write a note saying you're not feeling well and I'll give it to them." he said. Alice wiped her eyes.

"No. I'm going to class." she said.

"Are you sure? I don't want you falling into Wonderland in the middle of class." Chess said. Alice sat up.

"I'm going to class." Alice got up and ready for classes. Chess couldn't help but admire her determination, however he was worried something might happen in class. He kept a close eye on her during Charms, Transfiguration, and Care of Magical Creatures. By then, it was lunch. Chess took some food from the kitchen and sat with Alice by the lake.

"How are you feeling?" Chess asked.

"Better." Alice answered. They sat in silence. Alice let the chill of the October air numb her. She didn't even touch the food Chess brought. Tears fell down her face. "I miss them so much." she whispered.

"I know." Chess said. He persuaded Alice to go back to the castle. Walking towards Potions, Chess noticed the lack of students. They were late. Opening the door to Snape's class, all eyes were on her. Alice kept a straight face as she walked to her seat next to Snape's desk.

"Have you never heard that punctuality's a virtue?" Snape asked.

"You and my dentist's assistant have much in common." Alice snapped back. She heard a few gasps coming from some students. Nobody ever talked back to Snape. As Alice got closer, he saw her eyes were red, like she was crying recently. He dropped the subject, only telling the class that if any of them were ever late, they'd get detention. Alice put her head down on his desk. Suddenly, she slipped into Wonderland once more. She fought a wasp with tons of armor and a lance and went up to an origami ant temple. Inside, she found another memory. It was her mother.

"We'll keep just the one lamp, Alice - as a night-light. But it stays in the upstairs hall and only till you turn 12." Thinking about what she just heard, Alice made her way through the temple, somehow not hearing the praise she was getting from the ants. She met with the elder ant, who had her solve a puzzle to see if she was "worthy". When she finished the puzzle, the Elder Ant was pleased.

"You can save us... I'll open up the path." Two large wooden doors opened and Alice was allowed to continue. She didn't see the Elder Ant follow her, but after riding steam vents and jumping tiles, she found him waiting for her next to another doorway. "The wicked wasps lay siege above us, and control the Peaks to East and West. You must defeat them to reach Caterpillar's retreat.

"I suppose I must go to the mountain top, as it won't come to me." Alice said, exasperated.

"We have faith that Caterpillar, the strange and wondrous, helps those in need. One day, we'll have proof. Purity of heart is to will one thing. To approach his sacred aerie, you must confront the savage Daimyos, who prevent our access to his power. I'll open the entrance to the Sacred Caves, where your journey begins." Alice walked through the entrance, but before she saw what was inside, she was woken up.

"Miss Liddell?" Alice woke up to an empty classroom and Snape looking down on her. She straightened up at the desk and looked around.

"I'm sorry, Professor." She stood up to leave, but Snape stopped her.

"Miss Liddell, if doing patrols prevents you from doing your normal work, then perhaps you shouldn't do them." Snape said.

"No, it's not that. I slept fine. It's just-" Alice hesitated.

"Just what?" Snape asked. Alice looked down.

"I- I can't say." Alice said. "You wouldn't understand."

"Alice, there's nothing I haven't seen or heard already. What is it?" Alice looked into his eyes and, despite his harsh reactions earlier, she felt somehow she could trust him. He didn't seem the type to gossip.

"Why don't you come to my room after dinner. I'll tell you then." Alice said. Snape watched as she left the classroom.


	6. Snape Lends a Hand

During dinner, Snape couldn't help but glance at Alice. _What's so bad that she falls asleep in class? _he asked himself. He barely knew what he ate, if at all, for he was only thinking about Alice. After dessert, Snape left, muttering about retiring for the night. A few minutes later, Alice bid Lupin and McGonagall goodnight and went to her rooms, where Snape was waiting. She opened the door and Snape sat on the sofa in the sitting room. Alice went to her bedroom and retrieved the portrait of her family. She sat next to him and showed him the picture.

"This is my family. We took this picture only a month before the fire." she said.

"Fire?" he asked. Alice told Snape everything, from the fire, to Rutledge, to Wonderland.

"Now, whenever something upsets me, I'm thrown back into Wonderland. Sometimes, they're just in my dreams, but other times it could be anything." she explained.

"Like an argument?" Snape asked. Alice nodded.

"But I have to go to Wonderland. My memories are shattered and I've just started collecting them again." she said.

"Why don't I give you somewhere to keep them." Snape said.

"How? You can't physically hold memories... can you?" Within minutes, Alice was staring at a shallow bowl of water.

"What is this?" Alice asked.

"A Pensieve. You put memories in them so you could go back to them and see them more clearly." he clarified. "For example, think of one of your memories." Alice thought of the first memory she found in Wonderland. Snape then pulled out a string of silver mist using his wand and dropped it in the bowl. "Now, look in." Alice put her face in the bowl and was pulled in, like the first time she went to Wonderland. She landed in her living room. Her younger self was standing on a table and jumped off. Being a witch, she jumped a little higher and farther than usual.

"You're part frog, Alice, I swear. You jump so well." Lizzie said. Loving the praise, her younger self did it again. This time, her mother walked in. " If you leap from that table again, Alice, I'll expire. You're two times too reckless, my girl." she scolded. Alice lifted her head and was back with Snape. She stared at the Pensieve. This was her link to remembering what happened that night!

"I have a few more memories to put in." Alice said. After putting all she could remember of the fire, she and Snape went in that night of the fire. He helped her sort things out. When he saw the centaur, he pulled her out.

"That memory is deluded. Centaurs don't live in Oxford." Snape said. "Your fear must have altered the memory."

"Then what happened?" Alice asked, mostly to herself.

"Don't force yourself to remember." Snape said. "If you force yourself to remember, your memories will lie to you. Instead, relax. It'll come to you clearly in time." Alice nodded. "I think I should go now. You need your sleep." Alice opened the door for him.

"Good night, Severus." she said.

"Good night, Alice." he turned to leave and disappeared in the darkness.

That night, Snape lay in bed, still thinking of Alice. Her name was still on his tongue, her eyes still in his mind. He fell asleep dreaming, ironically, of centaurs. Alice, on the other hand, climbed up the mountain via turning to paper and going along an obstacle course-like path through a painting. Once she finished and got out of the painting, she saw on a map that she was already up one-third of the mountain. coming out of the cave, she saw she had a long way to go still. She rode more steam vents, jumped onto platforms, and crossed a scroll bridge with fiery symbols. On the other side of the scroll bridge, she was shot at by samurai wasp archers. Using her pepper gun, she knocked them out of the sky. Pulling another fish chain, she was shown the way to another scroll bridge. Getting burned a few times by the symbols, she made it across. It led to a cave where another archer was waiting. She annihilated him and made her way through the cave. Through another entrance, she saw another fish chain. However, she didn't see the samurai wasp waiting for her. He slashed at her, catching her off guard. She slashed back at him, furious at surprising her. A few hits with her Hobby Horse and he was dead. She pulled the chain and made it out of the cave. As soon as she smelled the fresh air, she was attacked not just by samurai wasps, but samurai ink wasps as well, which reminded her of the bolterflies from the now-destroyed Vale of Tears. She destroyed the ink wasps' "nest" and killed her attackers. Once they were gone, she moved further up the mountain. More ink wasps and samurais later, she went into a chamber topped with a Buddha head and slid down a slide that seemed to be made of China, decorated like some plates they used to have.

After sliding down the slide, Alice landed on a large desk. It seemed the new platforms were furniture. She made her way further and further up the mountain, battling wasps and eventually finding a memory of Nanny. She kept going, but before she could pull another fish chain, she was woken up.

"Rise and Shine." Chess said.

"I hate waking up. I was getting closer to Caterpillar!" Alice complained.

"Don't worry, it's Friday. Tonight, you can jump up that mountain all you want. For now, get dressed."

That day seemed to go on forever. The classes she normally loved seemed hours long, especially History of Magic. She was sure it would have been more interesting if the teacher's voice had more than one tone to it. At least in that class, she was able to pull the chain and find a memory of Radcliffe.

"The conflagration's point of origin was obvious. First the Library caught fire; and it spread disastrously when the gas line exploded." Alice hated to hear it from him, but it was what everyone was saying about it. It all started in the Library. She wasn't able to stay in Wonderland, but she was sure to put it in her Pensieve later.

Having absolutely nothing to do for the rest of the weekend, Alice decided to pop in on the only person who could help her.

Severus Snape was in his office grading papers. He sometimes hated when he gave out spur-of-the-moment homework assignments when the Gryffindors annoyed him. He always ends up staying late reading hundreds of very long, very dull essays on random things. Many of which include larger words and wider spaces between lines to make it cover more of the page. Soon, he heard a knock on the door.

"Come in." he said. The door opened and Alice stepped in, with her strange cat following as usual.

"Hello, Severus." Alice spotted the large pile of parchment on his desk. "Need some help with that?" she asked. Snape nodded and Alice pulled up a chair next to him. He gave her a bottle of red ink and they graded the papers in silence... well, almost silence. Alice would often ask if a word was spelled right or if a sentence was correct. Most of the time, they were correct, but Alice hadn't learned about some of the material yet.

That night, she was back. She came upon another door. Opening it, she awaited the memory to come. She saw the Library, then the fireplace, then her room with her and her old cat, Dinah. Waking up in the darkness, she felt Chess stir.

"Have an epiphany?" He asked.

"Dinah saved my life! I survived because... she showed me how to escape! I didn't leave the lamp in the library and Dinah didn't knock it over! The lamp and Dinah were upstairs when I went to bed. Dinah was in the room with me when the fire started!"

"That's good." Chess said.

"Good?" Alice asked, confused.

"That you remembered, I mean. Want to add it to your collection?" he asked. Alice added her dream to her Pensieve. "Now, go back to sleep. Caterpillar isn't going to come to you." Alice crawled back into bed and soon fell back asleep. The image she saw was horrible. Wasps were beating and stabbing origami ants. Other ants were watching the sight with fear and horror, knowing they were probably next. Alice fought off the wasps, trying to save the poor ants.

"This is terrible. Oh, great Caterpillar, why have you abandoned us?" One of the surviving ants prayed. The door ahead of them was sealed, though it was opened by playing some bells. "The tune's embedded in my memory, like 'Twinkle twinkle little bat.'" Alice commented.

"Get to the tree, Alice. Help our brothers." the ant said. She went through the doorway, which sealed behind her. Again, she had to battle daimyo and ink wasps. She slaughtered the wasps and went through another Buddha chamber, which led to another slide. At the bottom, Alice looked at the scenery around her. She saw broken pipes pouring out more ruin sludge.

"My poor Wonderland." Alice whispered to herself. She went further on and saw some ruins. Slashing them up, she was given a path to get to another chain. Jumping up the platforms, she pulled it and was given more of the path to Caterpillar. Along the way, more ruins blocked her path. She killed them, taking anything they left behind. Coming around a bend, Alice saw more ruins. _When I find out who's controlling that train, these ruins are going to be the first to go! _She got rid of the ruins, making sure she didn't fall into the ruin herself and went up even more. She saw a red doorway and went through, which closed its doors behind her. Inside, she met up with the Elder Ant again.

"A bridge will complete the path, but this substance has blocked the way. Can you help us to remove it?" he asked Alice. A ruin barrier with empty doll heads blocked off some Origami ants from escaping their prison.

"I believe I've got the proper tool." Alice said, rocking back and forth innocently.

"At the top of the mountain you will find the entrance to the next Sacred Cave." Alice went through to get the ants out, all the while, thinking that the Elder Ant reminded her a bit of Dumbledore. Ruins formed and attacked her, though they couldn't handle her Hobby Horse or her Tea Cannon. Once they were all killed, she used her Hobby Horse to break the ruin barrier.

"We're saved!" the ants bowed to her. "Our benefactor."

"You're free, my friends." Alice said, happy she could help them. She jumped up using a mushroom and landed by a ruin pool. It was pouring down from the ceiling and giving a perfect environment for drifting ruins to spawn. Attacking as much as she could, Alice made her way across the pool by jumping on tiles, making sure she jumped before it dunked back down into the toxic pool. She made it across and pulled another fish chain, which turned on some steam vents... back across the pool. Attacking more drifting ruins, Alice finally made her way back across the pool and rode the steam vents up. On that level, she found another ant trapped behind a barrier. She freed him, too and continued up. The next level up, she battled an insidious ruin, while more drifting ruins were shooting acid spikes at her. At the top level, she jumped on a mushroom, which brought her back out into the fresh air. Ants were crowded together, praying. Happy she saved them, she moved on to her quest: finding Caterpillar. Her next platforms were trees with fans for leaves. Jumping up them, Alice found another memory.

"When Papa grounded me, I climbed down the trellis. The tree branch makes a bridge, and it's not much of a drop. Keep our secret, Alice, or we're not sisters!" It was Elizabeth's voice. Hopping onto more fan-leaves, Alice made her way to a cave, where another memory was guarded by stone fire-breathing lions.

"Observe, learn, and react." she heard Chess say. She went the long way, rather than the shorter, but obviously more deadly way. Hiding behind large rocks, she found another fish chain. She pulled it, which showed her another way out of the cave. Ignoring it for a moment, she went through a key-hole that led to the guarded memory.

"Fire, Alice! fire!" it was her father's voice.

"Save yourself!" Her mother said. "Wake up, Lizzie! Lizzie, open the door!" Her mother sounded panicked.

"The key, Lizzie, unlock the door! You'll burn!" Her father yelled. Alice gasped. She knew that memory was definitely going into the Pensieve later. Going into a more dangerous keyhole, one that was guarded by a lion statue stomping on the ground on both sides of the keyhole, Alice battled more wasps and went further up. Dodging more fire-breathing statues, Alice continued her journey. She just made it to another painting when she woke up in the morning. Rain was pouring outside. Looking at the clock, she saw that breakfast was already over with. Putting her new memories into the Pensieve, Alice went to the kitchens to see if she could get something to eat. The house elves were very polite as they gave her some pancakes topped with fruit. She sat at a table, reading a newspaper someone had left behind. To Alice's delight, it not only had pictures, but they also moved. Alice was reading an article on a man named Sirius Black.

"How close are you now?" Chess asked.

"Very close. I still have more mountain to do, but I bet it'd only take one more night or two to find him." Alice answered. Alice shared some of her pancakes with Chess, who really preferred meat over the sticky sweet taste of fruit. After breakfast, Alice went looking for Snape. She found him walking out of his office, all bundled up for the weather outside. "Severus! Uh... going somewhere?" she asked.

"There's a Quidditch game. The teachers are required to go. Would you, ah, like to join me?" he asked somewhat nervously.

"Sure. One moment." She went back to her room, switched her normal buckled shoes for her boots and put on her red coat. Running back down to Snape, he took in her appearance. He put spells on them so that they wouldn't get wet from the rain. Chess stood in the doorway. "Aren't you coming, Cat?" she asked. He shook his head.

"You go. I'll stay in here where it's warm." He turned from them and disappeared into the castle. Alice shrugged and went to the Quidditch field with Snape.


	7. Caterpillar and Card Guards

Quidditch was probably the most exciting thing Alice had ever seen. Players zoomed by on brooms, hitting balls through hoops, both players and spectators alike dodging heavy balls with a devious mind of their own... the only thing that would have made it better would have been Lizzie sitting there with her. She always loved things like this. Snape stole a glance at Alice. Her mouth was agape, eyes wide and darting back and forth, trying to catch all the action. He smirked to himself and went back to watching the game. Two seekers, Potter and Diggory, flew higher and higher, till they were out of sight. Less than a minute later, Potter was falling down. Dumbledore sent a spell that slowed his fall, and some of the teachers rushed to him. Chasing after him was a horde of dementors. Dumbledore sent a spell at them that chased them off. Dumbledore looked angry as he did so, muttering something about the dementors not supposed to be that close to the students. The fallen student was taken to the hospital wing and the other team won the game.

"Let's go." Snape said. They went back to his room, which seemed just as cold as his classroom. He started a fire in the fireplace and the room warmed up instantly.

"I think I figured out more about the fire." Alice said. She told him about her dreams and the memories she'd found.

"If you were upstairs, then someone could've broken in. Do you know if your father had any enemies?" Snape asked. Alice thought for a minute.

"Not that I can think of." she answered.

That night, Alice was determined to find Caterpillar. Before bed, she took a sleeping potion that would let her sleep a little while longer. She soon found herself back in the Mysterious East. She'd been there too long and needed to find Caterpillar desperately. She went through the painting, fought ruins, helped more ants, rode steam vents, and everything else that she could possibly do. She even found another memory of Dr. Bumby: "Lovers often exchange a lock of hair to symbolize their vows. The human heart is opened by a vast assortment of keys." After coming out of the third and final painting, she knew she was closer to Caterpillar. Even the scenery around her changed, resembling an oil painting. She finally made it to Caterpillar... or at least a statue of him.

"I've come all this way to find a simulacrum?" Alice asked, annoyed.

"If I had the time, I'd detail how often you prefer dealing with illusions rather than the real thing. Problems you refuse to deal with don't exist! You deny reality." Caterpillar's voice said.

"That's not right. I know what's real." Alice said.

"No! And you allow others to tell you what isn't real... Now, come inside." The floor around her cracked and she floated down to see a cocoon.

"My memories are shattered. This wicked train has ruined nearly all I can recall. And Wonderland will perish completely as I lose my mind. So much has changed. I can't help Wonderland if I can't help myself." Alice explained as she walked up the path that spiraled around Caterpillar's cocoon.

"Much has changed. But you've got it backwards. Save Wonderland and you may save yourself. The Carpenter was on to something. But he was hiding from the real. Your goal is to accept it."

"Where should I go, then," Alice asked. "What should I do?"

"The Queen must be served, Alice. The Queen, in all her guises, must always be served." Suddenly, the room began to shake. Caterpillar opened his eyes from inside the cocoon.

"How can she stem this growing corruption or assist my search?" Alice asked, remembering the Queen from her last trip to Wonderland. "What does she know that I don't?"

"She is someone you once knew and loved. Time changes us all." Caterpillar said, shaking out of his cocoon.

"Not all change is good!" Alice replied.

"Remember that when you find the Queen." Caterpillar's wings emerged from his cocoon and he flew away. The next thing she knew, she was looking up at a moth in a gray room. The gray room ended up being Alice's window. It was still dark and rainy outside, giving the room a cold feeling. Sitting up, she sighed.

"Well, at least I found Caterpillar." she said to herself.

That day, Alice went over to the library. Looking for something other than school books, she ran into Snape.

"Hello, Severus." she said. He nodded.

"Alice." He looked for a book on one of the shelves. "How are you doing with your Pensieve?" he asked, meaning her problem with Wonderland.

"Good. I'm getting closer to an answer." she answered, looking bored at the book titles. "Do you know where I can find something interesting to read?" she asked.

"Depends on what you think is interesting." he said.

"Something with pictures and conversations." He eyed her. She was serious.

"Not sure, seeing as I'm not into those sort of books." He pulled out a rather large book on Potions.

"Oh. Then I guess I'll just look for a bookstore when I go home for Christmas break." she said.

"You're going away?" he asked.

"Yes. Why? Are you going to miss me?" Alice joked. Snape ignored her comment, not necessarily wanting to answer it. He was starting to grow fond of the reckless girl, not that he would admit it to anyone. "Well, I better be going. Minerva invited me and some of the other teachers to tea. See you later." Snape watched her retreating form until she disappeared behind a bookcase. Turning, he saw Ron Weasley staring at the spot Alice had just vanished from.

"What are you staring at, Weasley?" he snapped. He went to check out his book, not really planning on reading it.

"So, tell us, Alice." Professor Sprout said. "How'd you get grumpy old Snape to like you?" Alice choked on her tea.

"What? I didn't- He doesn't like me!" Alice stared at the women at the table.

"Well, it's so obvious. He doesn't glare at you like he does us and you two have been spotted socializing together." Sprout continued.

"He doesn't... I mean... I didn't mean to..." Alice sipped her tea to keep herself from rambling. "We go on patrol together, but that's it..."

"You sat together at the Quidditch game." Professor Sinistra said.

"He invited me." Alice said. Her eyes went wide. _Does he really like me? Oh, I've never had to deal with this before. Bloody asylum! _

"Don't worry about it, dear." McGonagall said. "If he really likes you, he'll tell you when he's ready."

Later, Alice couldn't help but think of Snape. _He likes me? Do I like him back? He's definitely smart... and kind... except to the students... but he does mean well... _Alice almost bumped into some students.

"Look, Ron! It's your favorite teacher." One of them joked.

"Like he could afford her." It was that rude blonde boy from the train.

"Shut up, Malfoy." Alice barely heard their argument because she was too preoccupied with her new problem: Snape.

"No." she said to herself. "Wonderland first."

That night, Alice took another dose of the sleeping potion. She got to bed early that night so that she could have more time in Wonderland and still get to the train on time the next morning. Alice was in the dungeons when she closed her eyes. Going further in, the walls turned red and fleshy. Walking out on a ledge, she looked around her. Suddenly, the ground shook, red tentacles appeared before her, and the ground gave out from under her. She fell, screaming. As she fell, she cleared her head, took control, and landed on a card in her blue dress she usually appeared in while in Wonderland. Nothing was holding her up, other than the card. In the distance, she saw a castle-type structure made of cards. She guessed that was where she needed to go, so she set off. Spotting another memory, she carefully (as careful as she ever was in Wonderland) went towards it. Collecting it, she heard her sister's voice.

"...claimed I'd stolen his heart. 'Trifling with his affections'. Creepy sod... Touching me... Told Papa to never invite him to tea again." Alice gasped. _Who'd been touching Lizzie? Why can't I remember something this important?_ Moving on, Alice couldn't get the memory out of her head. When she finally got to the card tower, she spotted another she had to get to. She went through each card tower and crossed the maze-like cards. The last one led to a card slide, which dropped her into Queensland, the home of the Red Queen. Alice looked around at the destruction.

"Back to admire your handiwork? Returning to the scene of the crime." Chess said.

"It had to be done, Cat, you said so yourself: 'You and this Red Queen cannot both survive. She is a cancer in your body. Excise her or perish.'" Alice said, mocking Chess's voice. She put her hands on her hips.

"Well, she was the face of evil in the Heart of Darkness." Chess said.

"She didn't treat you too well last time; lost your head as I recall." Alice said.

"She was completely deranged. You picked up her crown, but now you've put it down. You must speak to her; what's left of her anyway." With that, Chess vanished. Alice set off to get to the castle. She jumped across gaps in the crumbling bridge and onto platforms. Soon, after finding a memory of Radcliffe, she approached the castle. Once she stepped through the gate, a card guard came out of the ground. Alice got rid of it easily, though more came up as soon as the first one was gone. She got rid of them, too. Taking a quick detour, she saw the White Queen's fate. Soon she came up to the gate, where the White King was wrapped in some kind of vines or tentacles.

"The Red Kingdom's in ruins, but you're no better off." Alice commented.

"When you defeated her, I tried to reclaim the castle. But I was set upon by her monstrosities. The malignant royal bitch still reigns." The White King said.

"I'm here to petition her." Alice said. " I must get inside."

"The only way in is through me. Sacrifices must be made." The King said.

"Those who say so usually mean they should be made by others." she commented.

"Cynicism is a disease! It can be cured. Once inside beware of the outsized killer who patrols her domain. Never confront him; he is invincible. Now, cut me loose; I'll show you the meaning of sacrifice." Alice used her Vorpal Blade and sliced through the King. Only half his head was left hanging on the vines. Walking into the castle, Alice took a look around. Half the floor was missing, having crumbled away. Not wasting any time, Alice moved on. In a corner, she found a memory of Nanny.

"Every picture tells a story. You wouldn't tolerate a book without pictures when you were a girl." She smiled at that, thinking of earlier. She went on, further into the castle. After fighting a group of card guards, a large door began spitting out blood. Through it came the Queen's outsized killer- the executioner. It came at Alice with his scythe. Alice ran for her life. Chess appeared, saying, "A prudent exit is no less so for being hasty." Alice was sure that was Cat for "Run faster!" She ran through a large set of doors, which closed behind her. Thinking she was safe, she walked calmly away. Unfortunately for her, the executioner burst through the doors and ran after her, scythe twirling and cutting at the floor, walls, and ceiling. There was no way to miss the scythe. Alice shrank and ducked into a keyhole. Looking behind her, she saw the executioner looking through the hole. Alice ran in the opposite direction, away from the giant monstrosity. She made her way outside, where the Cat was waiting for her.

"The Queen's guardian rarely leaves his filthy lair- but you're special." Alice found a chain to pull, which led to a ledge with card guards and ruins. As she fought, the executioner jumped down from a tower and slashed at Alice. His blade hit the ground just a foot in front of her, which created a vortex beneath her, in which she fell through. She landed softly into the castle. Unfortunately, the executioner dropped down, too. Again, Alice ran for her life. She ran into a chamber and a gate dropped down between her and the executioner. However, she was ambushed by more cards and ruins. She fought them off, but saw the executioner try and raise the gate. _Great! _She ran as soon as the path was cleared. Riding a stem vent, she met up with Chess. A door closed behind her, sealing her off from her attacker.

"Find the Queen. Ignore her pledge to decapitate intruders, only at your peril." Of course, he vanished after giving her the advice. With that, Alice woke up.


	8. Christmas Break

"Hello, Alice. Come to my office, please." Alice made it safely back to Houndsditch for the winter holidays. When the children saw her, they slumped a little. Tossing them a small box of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, they perked up a little, grabbing at each other for a chance for some sweets. Alice saw Charlie happily eating the ones she knew were booger flavor. Once in Bumby's office, he began asking her questions. Doing one more session, Alice went back to her normal schedule, as if she had never been to Hogwarts. That night, Alice was back in Wonderland. She was somewhere in the castle when she found a memory.

"A locked room is little more than a cage. A prison by another name. I despise concealment of any kind." Lizzie's voice. Alice made it up some stairs and into a hallway when the executioner appeared behind her, laughing menacingly. Alice ran from him and dodged his scythe by jumping into a hole.

"Look for the Queen, but remember: She also has eyes for you." Alice couldn't understand what Chess meant by that, but went forward anyways. Jumping from platform to platform, Alice got to a part of the castle where cards were waiting for her. Unfortunately (or fortunately, Alice wasn't sure), she was woken up. Alice got up and got started on her chores. She cooked breakfast, helped Abby with the dishes, swept the floor, and scrubbed off drawings from the walls. All the while, she couldn't help but think of Snape. _I wonder what he's doing now? Possibly reading, or making some potion. Had he noticed my absence? _Little did Alice know, Snape was sitting in his office thinking the same thing. He was trying to work on a potion Madame Pomfrey needed, but he kept thinking of Alice. _What is with me? Why can't I stop thinking about her? _

Alice finished her chores and went to her room. She almost didn't recognize it without the pictures hanging up. She took a nap and ended up back in the Red Queen's castle. A memory of Lizzie appeared.

"Once the bounder followed me into the Ladies' at Waterloo Station. I had to call the attendant." _Lizzie! I'd forgotten you told me that! Whoever it is, I'll find him. Once my mind is fixed, I'll go after that creep. _Before she woke up, Alice was battling cards with an even bigger executioner watching the destruction. The executioner created another vortex, sending them to a hallway where he could easily trap her. Alice escaped by sliding down a hole. Going through a keyhole, Alice ended up outside on a ledge. The last thing she saw before waking up was that Infernal Train crashing by.

The two weeks Alice stayed at Houndsditch flew by fast. Half the time, she took naps, trying to go further into the castle. The last day of her stay, she fell asleep, trying to get further in. The first thing she got to was another door. Opening it, she braced herself for the truth.

"Lizzie hated locked rooms. Her room was further from the fire than mine. Smoke could not have killed her. She never locked her door! And besides, she knew another way out of the house... out of the window! Someone incapacitated or killed Lizzie, then locked her door, then took the lamp downstairs and started the fire to cover up their crime! Their plan was to kill us all!" Alice knew that was going to be the first thing to go into her Pensieve.

Alice had just gotten to a cake in the middle of the maze in the courtyard. Taking a bite, she grew to immense proportions and stepped on the executioner. _Invincible, huh? _She said to herself. Using her new size, she crushed the executioner with her foot, stomped on cards, and got up to the Queen faster. Once she had shrunk down to her normal height, Alice found another memory. Again, it was her sister.

"His hand was slimy, Alice; like an eel from the Isis. And his name won't help. Bumby! If he ever qualifies, his bed-side manner will need improvement." Alice backed up against a wall. _Lizzie knew Dr. Bumby? _Shaking her head, Alice continued further into the fleshy castle. Finally, she approached the Queen.

"I was expecting someone else!" Alice said, looking at the Queen. She looked nothing like the red monstrosity that ruled Wonderland 10 years ago...

"You don't know your own mind." The Queen said.

"It's nearly a complete stranger." Alice answered.

"What you claim not to know , is merely what you've denied. You've recaptured your vagrant memories. What are you doing with them?" The Queen looked down on her. "You once rejected my attempts to control our lives, forcefully. But now you've allowed another to succeed in my role." The Queen said, sadly.

"I won't miss your tentacles." Alice commented. That made the Queen mad.

"You prefer the hot, stinking breath and unyielding attention of a potent, unreasoning, unfeeling, hell-raiser? I don't think so!"

"Can you give me more than a warning? Caterpillar said you might help." Alice said.

"I'd need a better reason to respond than what's currently on offer." said the Queen.

"If you don't, we're all doomed." Alice said.

"Not doomed. Forgotten." The Queen said. "I may survive here; but you're finished. You see the pattern of destruction, I know you do. The train is trying to destroy all evidence of your past, especially the fire. Now, who would want that? Who benefits from your madness?"

"The destruction of Wonderland is the destruction of me?" Alice inquired.

"Indeed. And vice versa." the Queen said. Alice didn't notice the tentacles sneaking up towards her.

"I've set it in motion; I can derail it. This is good for me. I'm not insane! I didn't kill my family. I am fine. I'm not mad, I'm innocent...I-I mean not guilty!" The tentacles came up to reach Alice. "What's happening? What are you doing?" The tentacles wrapped themselves around Alice.

"The Train must be stopped. But there's more to do. Your view conceals a tragedy. The whole truth you claim to seek eludes you, because you won't look at what's around you!" The Queen said. Alice was sent flying towards the Queen's sharp-toothed mouth. "There is no method in this madness!" Suddenly, Alice was looking up at Dr. Wilson.

"My professional opinion, madness is often a treatable disease - though perhaps not in this case." She then heard the Queen's voice again.

"Authority must be obeyed, or it must be overthrown!" Alice's vision turned to Pris Witless.

"Cruel to be kind, that's my technique, as they say." She said. "But she's as mad as a hatter, poor dearie." Then, she was looking at Dr. Bumby's key. It was like in one of their sessions.

"...worst is over, and over, and over. Forget it, Alice. Forget it!" Suddenly, Alice was staring up at Dr. Wilson and Nurse D.

"Can't distinguish reality from illusion. Remember your last journey? An elephant never forgets where she left her trunk." Alice looked around and saw she was in a padded cell wearing a straight jacket. "When traveling by train, a valise... never bigger than your head. I may be wrong, Your Grace, but I doubt it. Down this path of primordial ooze... and sideways... once again."

"Indeed, doctor." Nurse D- said. "Well demanded. I'm sure, I mean to say..." The two were making no sense. _Am I back in Rutledge? Had I been there this whole time? Severus! Got to get to Severus! _She stood up. Wilson and Nurse D- were gone and they left the door open. Walking down the hallway, Alice saw her two least favorite orderlies taking her rabbit on a stretcher down a hallway. She followed, wanting her rabbit back. Suddenly, Alice was sitting in a chair, with the Tweedles about to give her a lobotomy.

"If it isn't 'whatshername' from the idiots' ward." the shorter one said.

"Yeah. It's Alice. Uncle's prize lunatic." the larger one said. Nurse D- was talking, but Alice didn't listen. She escaped, landing in a bloodied-up room with screws sticking through the walls and ceiling. Walking out of the room, Alice ended up in another room, this time, she was laying on a bed with the Tweedles trying to put leeches on her. Again, she managed to escape from them, ending in another bloodied room. She wanted to get out, go back to Hogwarts. _Will they let me back? _Alice wondered.

Alice wandered into a very strange room. She saw the two orderlies arguing, but on the ceiling were the Tweedles... or was she on the ceiling and the Tweedles on the ground? She had to get away from this madness! Going as fast as she could in a straight jacket, Alice fled the room. Going down a hallway, she made it to the waiting room. Suddenly, she was sitting down. Dr. Bumby was to her right.

"Come now, Alice. Am I not to be as much honored and obeyed as the Queen? Is that asking too much? I want what she wanted. Give yourself over to that. Trade the tentacles for the train. It's altogether a better ride. It's that or back to Rutledge." he said. Looking to her right was Pris Witless.

"Never a kind word, or reward for services rendered." She said. " Don't I deserve a bit of luck? Don't piss on what's right and owing to me, I say. Brought you out of the asylum... Now, you'll go back on your own accord!" Back to the right, was Nanny.

"I told your mother, dear. You're a distant and stubborn child, too content in her own world. Young women need to leave their Wonderlands. The real world is not so wonderful. You'll need to grow up. Perhaps some more time in 'care'." Back to the left was Radcliffe.

"You look decent enough, but appearances deceive. I know you for an unstable and violent person. I can't say I'm surprised you've been incarcerated in the asylum again. A long stay under supervision would serve you right." _Does no one have faith in me? _Alice thought. Suddenly, they were gone. Alice was standing again. Passing other patients, Alice found the door out. Alice finally woke up. To her shock, she was laying in bed. Sitting up, she wiped her eyes.

"What happened? Where am I? Why aren't I on the train? At least I'm out of Rutledge." A door opened and Snape came into the room. Alice suddenly realized this must be his room. "Severus? What happened?"

"Hagrid said he found you near the Forbidden Forest muttering something about queens, killers, and asylums." he said. "When he asked you what was wrong you fainted. You... don't remember that?" he asked.

"No. I remember falling asleep at Bumby's, then waking up here." she said.

"Then you must have been out for two days." Snape said.

"What? No!" Alice hid her face in her hands. Snape put a hand on her shoulder. She launched herself on him, arms around his neck and crying on his shoulder. He stiffened a bit, but allowed himself to wrap his arms around her and waited until she was done. A few minutes later, she sniffled and let go of him. "S-sorry." she sniffled again. "I-it's just so frustrating that I can't end this madness. That Infernal train is ruining my mind."

"I'll help you, Alice." Snape said. "Just tell me what to do." His calm voice kind of irritated her, but she felt he really meant it.

"I don't know what to do, myself." she admitted. "But I do know this: I have to derail that train."

"How will you do that?" Snape asked.

"I have no idea. First, get me my Pensieve. And find my Cat."

When Alice had everything, she added a rather long chain of memories into the Pensieve. Soon, Chess strode into the room.

"Another cat tells me there's a rat in the castle." he said.

"Chase vermin on your own time, Cat. We have bigger problems." Alice stated.

"Did you find the Queen?" he asked.

"Yes, and it cost me a trip to Rutledge... I think." She still wasn't sure if the asylum was real or part of her hallucination. She very much hoped it was the latter. A minute later, Snape came in with some hot soup. He and Alice ate together, talking mental strategies.

"So, there's no way to predict who or what is causing this?" he asked. "If it's in your mind, then can't you tell yourself what is to happen?"

"If I could do that, I never would have gone to the asylum in the first place." she said. "If only there was a way you could help me while I'm in Wonderland." she said.

"Perhaps there is." Snape said. "I'm skilled in Legilimency. It means I can enter one's mind and interact with their memories. If I use it while you're in Wonderland, maybe I can help you defeat whatever is hurting your memories."

"I don't want you going insane, too." she said.

"Alice, I've seen much more death and violence than you." he said.

"Want to bet?" Alice sighed. "No. I have to do this on my own."


	9. A Kiss and a Discovery

The next day, Alice sat in Snape's sitting room. She sat on the couch while Snape and Chess watched her. She closed her eyes and let herself slip into Wonderland. She was, surprisingly, in the middle of Hyde Park. The fog around her was so thick, she couldn't see anything... except for a lamp in the distance. She went towards the light. Standing under the light of the lamp, she saw another. She followed each lamp until she came upon a child that was cut in half. She was dragging her mangled body on the ground, seeing she didn't have any legs to carry her.

"Help, Alice. We need your help! Don't desert us... again. Don't ignore us." It reached its arm to her. Alice crouched next to the child.

"Why do you suffer? The Queen's tyranny is just a memory. She has no power over you, does she?" Alice asked.

"Our enemies come and go. But now a new evil reigns. And this fiend's malevolence has eclipsed the conquered Queen's." the child explained. She looked like she was going to say more, but she collapsed, dead. Alice stood up and, walking to where the child had come from, judging by the blood trail, came upon a burning house. Before she knew it, she was looking at a world of dollhouses. Not knowing what she would find, Alice set off to figure out the new evil that has been destroying Wonderland. She went across platforms and through keyholes, eventually finding a room where Chess appeared.

"'Seek and ye shall find', they say. But they don't say what you'll find." For once, they were thinking of the same thing: what new evil resides here? Making her way through the dollhouses, she fought some ruins and found a structure with the sign: FORT RESISTENCE, all with backward E's. Alice approached it when the doors opened and some insane-looking children came out.

"The unstable are more than merely mad." One little girl said. "They have other parts. The Dollmaker will deprive them of what remains of their deranged souls. They need care."

"I know their pain." Alice empathized with the children. "I would assist. But is sanity required for the job?"

"A limited quantity." the girl answered. "You're not mad enough to be rejected. You're like them... Of them, in a way; but not them. I should say not 'us'. For I'm them, but you are on your way. The way is clearly marked."

"I believe I know that way. And I'd rather not travel further along it." Alice said. They all heard a screech.

"It's here, you dimwits. Get inside!" The children took refuge in their fort as a giant baby doll crashed through a fence made of pencils. It roared, trying to scare Alice. They battled, with Alice coming out victorious. Once the Doll Girl was defeated, the path was clear and Alice set forth. Looking around first, she found a memory of Nanny. Not really finding it helpful, she went along the path made for her. She went further into the doll world, finding pieces of cake with cockroaches, headless dolls with nails sticking out of them swinging on swings, bizarre furniture made from doll pieces... Battling more ruins and a doll girl, Alice couldn't help but wonder... _Who is this Dollmaker? What does he have to do with the Train? Will I get my memories back? _Alice went further onto the path. Suddenly, she woke up.

"Alice? Are you okay?" Snape asked.

"Yes. I think I'm closer to an answer. Someone in Wonderland said the new evil is called the Dollmaker." she explained. "This whole time, I've been thinking it was the Red Queen."

A week passed and Alice was slowly making her way through Wonderland. One particular night, Snape and Alice were on patrol.

"Who do you think the Dollmaker is?" Snape whispered, trying not to agitate the sleeping portraits on the walls.

"I don't know. I've been all over Wonderland and nobody has been able to tell me who is controlling the train. I hope this time, I'm not on some wild goose chase."

"Meaning?" Snape asked.

"Well, Hatter tells me to find Mock Turtle, who says to go to Carpenter, who says to find Caterpillar, who tells me to find the Queen, who was no help whatsoever... " Alice sighed. "I just hope I can figure out how to fix my mind." Chess started smelling the ground.

"I smell a rat... or someone who isn't supposed to be here..." Chess took off.

"Come back, Cat!" Alice hissed. She took off after Chess.

"Alice!" Snape chased after Alice. Coming down the hall, they saw a light quickly turn out. Snape lit his wand and found Harry Potter in the hall. "Potter. What are you doing wandering the corridors at night?" he asked.

"I'm sleepwalking." Harry said. He didn't even bother making it sound like a real excuse. He noticed Alice watching the confrontation.

"Extraordinarily like your father, you are, Potter. He, too, was exceedingly arrogant, strutting about the castle." Snape said calmly.

"My dad didn't strut. And nor do I." Harry said. "And if you don't mind, I would appreciate it if you could lower your wand." Snape did- pointing to Harry's sweatshirt pocket.

"Turn out your pockets." Snape demanded. Harry didn't move. "Turn. Out. Your pockets." Harry showed Snape what was in his pocket.

"What's this?" Snape asked.

"It's a packet of parchment." Harry answered.

"Really?" Snape asked skeptically. "Open it." Harry opened it and Snape pointed his wand to it. "Reveal your secrets." Writing appeared on the parchment. "Read it."

"Messers Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs offer their compliments to Professor Snape, and..." Harry hesitated.

"Go on." Snape instructed.

"And request he keep his abnormally large nose out of other peoples' business." Harry finished. Alice wondered if that was really written on the paper, or if Harry just didn't like Snape.

"Why you insolent, little.." Snape was cut off by Lupin, who appeared behind them. "Well, well. Lupin. Out for a little walk in the moonlight." Snape said tauntingly. Lupin nodded at Alice.

"Alice. Harry are you alright?" Lupin asked.

"That remains to be seen." Snape snatched the parchment from Harry's hand. "I have just now confiscated a rather curious artifact from Mr. Potter; take a look, Lupin. It's supposed to be your area of expertise. Clearly, it's full of dark magic." Lupin took a look at the paper.

"I seriously doubt it, Severus. It looks to me as though it's merely a parchment designed to insult anyone who tries to read it. I suspect it's a Zonko product." Lupin said. Snape tried to take it back, but Lupin stopped him. "Nevertheless, I shall investigate any hidden qualities it may possess. It is, after all, as you say my 'area of expertise.' Harry, would you come with me, please?" Harry followed Lupin as he walked away. "Professor, Alice, Good night." Snape and Alice watched as they walked away.

"Are you deaf? Put that light out!" A portrait said. Snape and Alice walked away as Snape put out his wand.

"Potter... thinks he can get away with anything just because he's Dumbledore's favorite student." Snape said crossly.

"What did you mean when you said his father was arrogant?"Alice asked. "Did you know him?"

"Unfortunately. When we were younger, James Potter and his friends made my life a living Hell. They even cost me my... my best friend." Snape looked at Alice. "Sorry. I don't mean to dump this all on you."

"I don't mind. I'd like to think of things other than my own problems." Alice answered. "So, who was your best friend?"

"Just this girl... we met before we started school. I lost her because Potter was arguing with me. Lily tried to stand up for me, but I blew her off. Said some things I shouldn't have... She never talked to me again." Snape seemed to be lost in his own memories.

"What happened after that?" Alice asked.

"She married Potter and had the boy you just saw." Snape said.

"Oh. Well, if it makes you feel any better, I don't think your nose is that big." she said.

"Oh, really?" Snape asked skeptically.

"I've seen bigger. Hatter, Pris Witless, the family that sells meat around the corner from Houndsditch..." Alice answered. Snape smirked. _That's a first. _

"Now that I think of it," Snape said. "You both have the same eyes. Though, she was sweeter. You're more..."

"Reckless? Unstable? Stubborn? Insane?" Alice gave him a choice.

"I was going to say tougher, but I guess stubborn describes you, too." Alice lightly hit his arm.

Just like the last time, Snape escorted Alice to her rooms.

"Thanks... for everything." Alice pecked him on the cheek... though she had to pull him down a little and she banged her nose on his cheekbone. Closing the door between them, Alice rubbed her nose and went to get ready for bed. Snape, on the other hand, stood in front of her door for another minute or so, surprised by her action. The part of his cheek she'd kissed tingled a little. Feeling about ten times better, Snape went to his own room. By that time, Alice was already in Wonderland. She found a jack-in-the-box and started cranking the handle.

"Looks like a perfect fit; and I'm a perfect judge. Time to put your new noggin to use." Chess said. Suddenly, a doll head with an omega sign branded on its forehead flew out of the box. Alice's perception shifted. She was now the doll head. She went through this toy-like maze, her doll head self being used as a marble or something. After surviving that, Alice slid down a slide and ended in some sort of basement, decorated with thick glass walls, doll heads, nails, and enemies. Alice got rid of the enemies and was left to navigate the maze-like basement.

"This is a very bizarre area. I wonder if the Dollmaker is close?" Alice asked herself. Noticing the meat floors, Alice tried to hurry up.

"Be careful, Alice." she heard Chess say. Alice seemed lost in the basement. Everything appeared the same. Somewhere deep in the basement, Alice pulled a lever, which opened up a path to a maze that she could see under the glass. Entering it through a keyhole, she took her time getting through. She had to, or risk being impaled on a nail. Finally making it to the final lever, Alice was allowed out of the maze. Relieved for a little more air, Alice went along the path.

"This is definitely very different than anything I've ever hallucinated before." Alice said aloud. When she shrunk, Alice noticed plenty of pictures on the wall of the Train and some sort of hand or claw. Starting to get nervous, she wondered if she could wake herself up from where she was.

"Saving Wonderland means saving yourself." Chess said. He was right. Alice knew she had to do this. Moving on, she ran through a hall as the ceiling started to fall around her. Going past it, she went up some stairs that resembled meat drawers and into a room where some enemies were waiting. She rid the room of enemies and pulled a lever. It brought down an elevator, which took her out of the basement. Coming out of the elevator, Alice breathed in the fresh air. There was a hint of milk in the air, but it was better than the dusty, dead smell of the basement. Jumping up to a quilted platform, Alice was attacked by a colossal ruin. She defeated it, leaving only black goo behind. Moving ahead, Alice came upon FORT RESISTENCE again, only this time, its doors were open. Seeing one of the girls lying outside, Alice ran to the FORT. The girl who had talked to Alice was dead. Alice felt like a failure, as she had promised to protect them. She searched the rest of the FORT, but none of the other girls were in there. Alice knew from experience that once she healed her mind, they would come back... she hoped. Going along the path laid out for her, she went forward. She came upon an open dollhouse where some enemies were awaiting her. She slashed and bashed until they were all gone. They were just defeated when Alice woke up. Feeling a little bit of a headache, she dumped her dream into her Pensieve, dressed for the day and walked out of her room.


	10. A Kiss and a Convicted Criminal

"Good morning, Alice." Lupin said as she sat down, where some pancakes topped with fruit appeared on the plate before her. Her cup filled up with tea, which she sipped. Snape came to the table five minutes after.

"Good morning, Severus. Sleep well?" Alice asked.

"Better than usual." he answered. Some of the teachers raised an eyebrow or looked at each other. They all had one question in their minds: Is there something going on between them? After breakfast, Alice and Snape went off, since his was her first class. She told him about the area she visited in her dream that night. "Perhaps it's from being in the dungeons too much?" Snape asked. Alice shrugged.

"It could be anything, really." she said. Getting through the first class, the potion Alice made afterwards was perfect.

"You never cease to amaze me, Alice. Even I didn't get it right when I first tried it." Snape said, bottling up some of her Sleeping Draught.

"Well, I have a great teacher." she said. Snape looked into her eyes. Despite the smile on her face, her eyes always looked so sad. He didn't realize he had kissed her until he felt her warm lips on his. It was only for a second, but Alice's eyes were suddenly wide.

"I... ah... sorry, I..." Snape stammered. Alice bolted from the room. Once she was out the door, Snape kicked his desk as hard as he could. "What the bloody hell is wrong with me?" He sat down at his desk, frustrated.

McGonagall noticed Alice was blushing when she came in to her class.

"Morning, Professor." Alice greeted her.

"How was your last class?" she asked. Alice blushed even more.

"Fair." she didn't make eye contact with McGonagall.

"What did that man do?" McGonagall asked, talking about Snape.

"Nothing." Alice said. "At least, nothing bad. Um, don't tell anyone." McGonagall smiled.

"Don't worry, dear. Your secret's safe with me." she said.

During lunch, Alice didn't see Snape at the Table. Leaving her spot, she went down to the dungeons to look for him. She found him sitting at his desk with his hands in his hair. His face was on the desk and he looked frustrated.

"Severus?" His head snapped up.

"Alice?" She closed the door behind her and went up to his desk.

"I'm sorry I ran out. You just caught me by surprise." she said.

"I'm sorry to startle you like that." Snape apologized. "I don't know what came over me."

"It's okay, it's just... I... I've never had to deal with these things before. I've only been out of Rutledge for about two years. In the time I was supposed to be liking boys and dating, I was stabbing doctors with pencils and cutting myself with a teaspoon." Alice showed Snape her wrists, which held faint scars across them. "I'm just new to this." she said.

"So am I." Snape said. She nervously got closer to him, still not sure what to do. She held his face in her hands and kissed him.

Chess had just come from chasing the rat away from the castle when he saw Alice coming from the other way. She seemed like she was in a daze. _She's not in Wonderland, is she? _he asked himself.

"Alice?" he asked carefully.

"Hmm?" she answered.

"What's got you all dazed?" he asked. Alice blushed.

"It's... nothing." she said. Chess raised an eyebrow. The duo went to the next class, which happened to be Divination. Professor Trelawney had a pack of cards on each table. That lesson, they were going to learn about tarot cards. They were all paired up, including Alice- she got paired up with Ron Weasley. One person asks a question and the other deals three cards and reads them. She dealt three cards. The first was a reversed Knight of Cups- Selfishness, indolence, and a complete lack of maturity. The second was Seven of Pentacles- making difficult financial decisions; exercising patience and perseverance. The last was a reversed Four of Pentacles- using your power freely for your own enjoyment and the betterment of others. Relieved that he didn't get anything bad, Ron read Alice's cards.

Alice's first card was Death- forced sacrifice, rebirth, big changes. Alice knew that was all too true. Her second card was a reversed Hierophant- A calcified old regime, bad or incompetent advice. It made her think of pretty much every character in Wonderland; not able to give her answers. Her third card was The Lovers- a caring and trusting relationship, beauty and inner harmony, a decision calling for emotional control and faithfulness to spiritual values. Alice wondered if the last card had anything to do with the kiss.

Later that day, Alice was on her way to dinner when she was intercepted by Snape.

"Alice, I - ah - I was wondering if you would like to have dinner with me tonight? As in... privately." Snape asked.

"I would love to." He led Alice to his rooms where there was a table waiting for them. Two places were set, a vase with a single red rose sat in the middle and the room was illuminated by candles. Once they sat down, food appeared on their plates- the dish they loved the most. Alice tried a bite. The taste sent her back fourteen years. She hadn't tasted that dish since the last time her mother made it. It had been her favorite as a kid. After dinner, Alice and Snape talked about everything; how she liked it at Hogwarts, their childhood, likes and dislikes, and everything under the sun... and in Wonderland. A few minutes later, they decided to take a walk about the castle; Snape listening to Alice talk about Wonderland.

"...and Mock Turtle used to run the Looking Glass Line. There were stations in the Vale of Tears, Queensland, and The Dollhouse. I'm not sure of any others. I believe I rode on it once, when I was little. It was a very curious trip. I remember I used to have tea parties with Hatter. March Hare and Dormouse would always be there. In fact, I believe they woke me up when the fire started..." Alice paused, having seen someone in the corridor ahead. Snape saw, too. They silently moved ahead and just barely caught Lupin sneaking out of the castle.

"Where do you think he's headed?" Alice whispered.

"I have an idea." Snape said. They followed and came upon a tree. "Stand back." Snape froze the waving branches and they entered a large hole at the base of the tree. _If I see a white rabbit... _Alice thought. They walked along a dark tunnel and up into a creaky old house. They heard voices above and Snape led Alice up, as silently as they could. Someone yelled and, to Alice, it sounded like a student - one Alice knew to be smarter than most of her classmates. More voices and Alice thought there had to be at least four people in the room. They approached the door and Snape burst in, disarming a raggedy man in striped clothing.

"Vengeance is sweet!" Snape said. "How I hoped I'd be the one to catch you." His tone was a bit unnerving to Alice, but she merely watched the scene unfold.

"Severus-" Lupin tried to intervene, but Snape pointed his wand at him.

"I told Dumbledore you were helping a friend into the castle, and now, here's the proof." he said.

"Brilliant, Snape." Sirius Black - Alice recognized him from the newspapers - said. " Once again you put your keen and penetrating mind to the task and as usual come to the wrong conclusion. Now, if you'll excuse us, Remus and I have some unfinished business to attend to." Snape held his wand up to Sirius's neck.

"Give me a reason. I beg you!" Alice tried to grab his sleeve, thinking he was starting to go a bit too far, but he just held her back with his free hand.

"Severus, don't be a fool..." Lupin said.

"He can't help it, it's habit by now." Sirius automatically replied. Alice thought that they must be the friends that tormented Snape as a kid.

"Sirius, be quiet!" Lupin told Sirius.

"Be quiet, yourself, Remus!" Sirius snapped back.

"Listen to you two, quarreling like an old married couple." Snape remarked.

"Why don't you run along and play with your chemistry set!" Sirius mocked.

"I could do it, you know. But why deny the dementors? They're so longing to see you." He said with his eerily calm voice. Alice shivered a little at the mention of the dementors. "Do I detect a flicker of fear? Oh, yes. A dementor's Kiss. One can only imagine what that must be like to endure. It's said to be nearly unbearable to witness, but I'll do my best."

"Severus, please." Lupin tried again to reason with Snape. Alice noticed one of the students take his friend's wand. Alice tried to get Snape's attention, but he was too pre-occupied with his enemy.

"After you." he nodded to the students to get out. One, who she learned earlier was Harry Potter, raised his wand toward Sirius, but hit Snape with his spell instead. _Severus! _Alice rushed to him, trying to wake him. Lupin and Sirius then took Ron Weasley's rat, which soon transformed into a man - who didn't look much different from a rat. Unable to wake Snape yet, she watched the scene before her.


	11. A Werewolf and the Dollmaker

Sirius and Harry helped Ron out through the passage, with Hermione trailing behind. Lupin rounded up Peter Pettigrew and forced him out of the room and into the passage. Finally, Snape came to, looking up at Alice.

"Are you okay?" she asked him.

"I'm fine. Where's Potter?" he asked, the last word dripping with acid. Alice helped him up off the bed and they went out into the passage. While walking, they heard a howl echo through. Alice and Snape looked at each other and ran out.

"There you are, Potter!" Snape grabbed Harry's shirt, but turned when he heard a growl behind him. He turned around and shielded the students and Alice from the slowly approaching werewolf. The werewolf swiped at them, knocking everyone down. Alice quickly checked to make sure Snape wasn't injured. The werewolf was about to swipe again when it was attacked by a black dog. They took that opportunity to get up, with Snape once again shielding them from the fighting animals. The werewolf then chased the black dog, which, for some reason, made Harry run after them.

"Come back here, Potter!" Snape held back Hermione before she could follow Harry. Suddenly, Alice fainted. "Alice!" Snape ran to her side.

Alice walked on some shrink-sense platforms and found another head-rolling maze. She was starting to get a headache from all the mazes. After finishing it up, she was sent to the inside of another dollhouse. Unlike the other dollhouses she went through, this one looked dusty and unused; forgotten. Sliding down a slide, she went down and right into a battle. She slashed up the malicious ruin and the doll girls. Attacked by more enemies, Alice used her umbrella to deflect the attacks. Finally, she came out victorious. Moving on, she jumped up some mushrooms and found another door. Knowing it held a hint to her past, she went through it. Watching the scene unfold, Alice finally figured everything out.

"I had a role in my family's demise, but I did not start the fire. Centaurs don't live in Oxford, but a certain doctor did. I saw him; a preening undergraduate. Now I remember him! That key belongs to Lizzie's room!" The image faded away and Alice exited the door. Walking forward, she saw what she knew was the Dollmaker's lair - and the Infernal Train. Marionette handles and strings hung everywhere. Climbing up to the entrance, she saw the horror inside. Dolls hung from a line, moving as if on a conveyor belt. Alice suddenly realized they were the girls from FORT RESISTENCE. Inside were even more ruins. This seemed to be where they were all coming from. Perhaps the Dollmaker had been controlling them the entire time? Alice defeated the ones that attacked her and moved further in. Now she realized why the dollhouse basement looked so odd. It was part of the Dollmaker's lair. Going through a keyhole, Alice found another memory of Lizzie.

"I'm no toy! he wanted me to do things I didn't want to do." _I will kill you! _Alice vowed to who she know knew who had touched Lizzie; who had started the fire - Dr. Angus Bumby. _The Dollmaker WILL die! He WILL give me my Wonderland back! And Dr. Bumby WILL pay for everything he'd done! _Alice left the keyhole and went up some stairs, passing a baby doll hanging in a glass case and posters of insect skeletons and such. Finally getting to the top, she saw the Dollmaker; Bumby for what he really was. Alice confronted him.

"Am I not the most wretched and selfish of fortune's fools? Oblivious, I live in a training ground for prostitutes; my mentor is an abuser and purveyor; I've been complicit with my sister's murderer, and the killer of my family, as he corrupted my mind! I sought relief from my pain and you turned me away from the truth!" Alice yelled angrily.

"You were almost there." he said in an eerie, echoing voice. "Almost free from what you fear. You could have been cured, you could have forgotten."

"Abandon the memory of my family?" Alice asked, shocked.

"They are dead... and you should be, too." he said.

"You misbegotten abomination... murderer! You blood sucking parasite! The damage you've done to children... The abuse!" Alice called him the worst she could think of.

"I provide a service. In the great and awful metropolis, appetites of all sorts must be gratified." he said, calmly. He didn't see her as any kind of threat.

"My family, my mind, the Infernal Train..." Alice was a mixture of feelings: anger, disgust, sadness, confusion...

"The train is your... invention, your defense. I merely set is schedule and itinerary." He picked up a squirming child, tinkered with it, and put the now empty doll body down. "The train is coming with its shiny cars. With comfy seats and wheels of stars. So hush my little ones, have no fear. The man in the moon is the engineer."

"I'll stop that train... if it's the last thing I do!" Alice shouted.

"As you wish..." The Dollmaker grabbed Alice. "It will be!" He made her into one of the empty doll bodies. "You're lost. And where your body is, your mind will follow. Perhaps it's already there." He dropped her into a chute with the other dolls. The dolls were then dropped down into the train. Alice broke free of her doll body and landed in the Train. She walked into a car and saw the Hatter.

"Hatter, I must stop this Infernal Train and the evil force that drives it!" Alice said.

"Everything's a nail, is it, Miss Hammerhead? First, it was your search, freighted with fear and fragmented memories. Now it's the train. Never time for tea! While your brain's on holiday, we're ruined. Now, we're all mad here and that's a good excuse for going to hell in a teapot, but not for forgetting what your senses saw. Forgetting is just forgetting, except when it's not. Then they call it something else. I'd like to forget what you did. I've tried. But I can't." Alice moved to another car. There, the caterpillar - or butterfly - was sitting.

"Come to receive your punishment, then?" he asked.

"I know I'm guilty of something, but punishment never suits the victims of the crime." Alice stated.

"Abuse is a crime the strong visit on the weak. And you're right. Abusers are insufficiently punished for the damage they do." Caterpillar said. "Those who witness abuse without seeking retribution for the harmed pay a penalty. Your own pain mitigates your failure to act earlier, but you may not yet have paid enough for witnessing the pain of others." In another car, Alice met up with the Queen.

"My Lizzie... What is this train's destination?" Alice asked.

"Madness and destruction..." The Queen said. "You shouldn't ask questions you know the answers to, it's not polite. And that noise wasn't Lizzie talking in her sleep."

"Oh no... poor Lizzie!" Alice realized what really happened.

"And there are no centaurs in Oxford! Make your survival mean something, or we're all doomed!" the Queen added. Alice moved forward. She crossed a glass bridge and into the train's engine.

"Alice, wait!" Alice turned around.

"Severus?" she ran to him. "What are you doing here?"

"You fainted then yelled out in your sleep. Very interesting choice of words, by the way. I wanted to know you were okay." he said. He took in her appearance. He saw the blue dress, her longer hair, healthier complexion...

"I know who's done all this! It's-" Suddenly, they heard an evil laugh and the walls and ceiling were ripped away. They faced the Dollmaker. Alice whipped out her Vorpal Blade. The Dollmaker's hands were connected to his body only by strings. Smaller arms on his back seemed to be controlling them.

"What is that?" Snape asked.

"He's the one corrupting my Wonderland! And he's going down!" Alice said. Snape raised his wand, but nothing happened. "That won't work here." Alice handed him her Hobbyhorse. As he touched it, his black robes transformed into black armor with the imprint of a knight chess piece in the front. The Dollmaker's hand came at them. Alice used her Pepper Grinder to attack the doll face on the giant hand. Nothing happened until the black goo covering the face was gone. When it covered the face again, Alice had to keep dodging its attacks. The hand swiped at them, but they dodged it. Snape noticed black feathers fly by when he did that, while Alice turned to butterflies. The giant hand came at them, scratching the glass and making Snape's teeth hurt. They hit as fast and as hard as they could. Finally, after what seemed like forever, the doll face exploded. They attacked the new wound on his hand, which he retracted and sent in the other hand. It walked around on two fingers, acting as if it were separate from the being that controlled it.

The hand smashed itself on the glass, trying to crush Alice like a bug. Snape used Alice's Pepper Grinder to help Alice. When the doll face was exposed, Alice moved with lightning speed, slashing away at the face. Together, they were breaking it. Black goo covered the face again and the hand continued its assault. It swiped at them, used its fingers to try to smash them, and scratched the glass and sent the debris flying at them. Luckily, they were able to dodge its attacks.

"How often do you do this?" Snape asked.

"Almost every night for thirteen years. Sometimes they're hallucinations, though, and come to me while I'm still awake." Alice answered, dodging another attack. Snape fought off black goop-like enemies and picked up the life force they left behind. After what seemed like an eternity, Alice got hit a few times by the hand.

"Alice!" Suddenly, Alice changed. Her blue dress turned white that was blood-soaked in some places. Her arms were drenched in blood, as was her weapon. Her eyes took on a red hue. She fought harder than ever before and the doll face exploded, too. Alice turned back to normal. The hand retracted, but came back - along with the other hand. Alice and Snape fought their own hand, along with whatever black goop enemies tried getting close. After both of them gained some damage, they both transformed. Alice in her white, blood-soaked dress, and Snape - black armor turned white, dripping with blood; black eyes turned red; weapon now looking ten times more fierce. They were faster and stronger and now, the hands didn't stand a chance. It didn't last long, but it was long enough for them to deal a great amount of damage to the hands. Every so often, the Dollmaker's black beard made of the same substance as the enemies came down, revealing doll heads. Alice shot at them whenever they showed.

Snape dodged a hand that eerily made him feel somewhat violated as it grabbed for him and Alice. As the goop- covered doll heads appeared again, Snape went at them. When he got closer, he realized it was the Dollmaker's tongue. Breaking off a doll head, Snape didn't have time to see it roll away before he had to dodge an attack. After what seemed like an eternity, Alice broke the last doll head, causing the Dollmaker to die. The scene faded and Alice woke up.

"It's not over, yet." Alice said.


	12. Bumby's Demise

Everyone was confused when they saw Alice and Snape run out of the castle late at night after dropping three students in the Hospital Wing. They got just outside of school grounds, where they disapparated. Arriving in front of Houndsditch, Alice saw the kids wearing a number around their necks. Alice asked one where Bumby was, but he didn't seem to know.

"Where were we just at?" Snape hinted. Going to the Moorgate train station, Alice confronted Bumby.

"You oozing sore of depravity!" Bumby turned around at the sound of Alice's voice. "... children wearing their names around their necks, as if they're breeding livestock!"

"A declaration of their pedigree. You could use one. They're proud to display their provenance." Bumby laughed.

"You brute! They can't remember who they are or where they're from. How many minds have you twisted into forgetfulness?" Alice asked, agitated.

"Not enough." Bumby answered. "Yours would have been a triumph. Still, you're an insane wreck. My work is done!"

"You've used me and abused me, but you will not destroy me." Alice declared.

"No? The damage is done. The old Alice and her Wonderland retreat are demolished. You can't even recognize what's happened. And you're powerless to change it or move against me. I've made certain of that." Bumby crossed his arms, feeling victorious.

"You corrupted my memories, but you failed to make me forget." Alice proclaimed.

"I could've made you into a tasty bit. Clients out the door waiting for a piece from a raving delusional beauty, with no memory of the past, or no sense of the future. But you wouldn't forget; you insisted on holding on to your fantasies. You're mad. Like your sister." Bumby's words filled Alice with rage.

"Don't speak of her! You didn't know her..." she yelled.

"Your sister was a tease. Pretended to despise me. She got what she wanted... in the end." Bumby said. He looked at his pocket watch, which had Lizzie's key at the end of the chain.

"I'll see you charged. In prison, some half-wit bruiser will make you his sweetheart... and then you'll hang." Alice threatened.

"Indeed? A hysterical woman, former lunatic, roaring outrageous accusations against a respectable social architect and scientist. My God, Alice, who would believe you? I scarcely believe it myself." Bumby stated.

"I believe her." Snape stepped out of the shadows.

"You monstrous creature... Such evil will be punished." Alice said.

"By whom? By what? Psychotic, silly bitch. Your madness will be punished. Now leave. I'm expecting your replacement." Bumby looked at his watch again. Alice stepped forward, snatched the key and turned to leave. Feeling the vibrations of the coming train, Alice stopped. Both men watched in awe as Alice transformed. Her dirty black and white dress was replaced with a clean, silky blue one. Her hair grew longer. She looked healthier... and more powerful. She turned back to Bumby. He stared in shock as he witnessed her change. She stepped forward, the train's engine echoing in the tunnel. She pushed Bumby onto the tracks just as the train pulled up. Looking at the key, she felt that she finally avenged her family's deaths. Exiting the station, Alice was shocked to see that Wonderland had combined with London. Buildings were twisted with trees; mushrooms grew from the streets and from buildings. It was like the Vale of Tears fused with the real world. Dropping to her knees, Alice cried.

"Is there no escape from this madness?" she cried. Chess appeared in front of her.

"Only a very few find the way; some don't recognize it when they do; some don't ever want to." he said.

"Blasted Cat! I-" Alice thought for a moment. The more she thought, the more Wonderland shrank until she was back in London. She looked up at Snape. Feeling the key in her hand, she slowly stood up. "Love. The way was love. I never needed to go to Wonderland when I was younger because I had the love of my family. I only went when I felt neglected. I was in Wonderland when I was in the asylum because I didn't have my family." Snape grabbed Alice's hand.

"Alice, I-" Snape was cut off by Alice kissing him.

"I know." she smiled. Suddenly, she noticed someone in the station. She looked around nervously. Going back in, Alice saw a girl about the same age as herself, with blonde hair, blue eyes, and a scared expression.

"Have you seen Dr. Bumby?" the girl asked. "I was sent to him to be cured. He said he'd be here, but..." Alice felt sorry for her. She took the girl's hand.

"Don't worry. Dr. Bumby was nothing more than a murderer and a pervert. I'll help you." Alice said. Taking a bottle from a nearby fruit stand, Alice had the girl sit and close her eyes. The girl did, wondering what was going to happen. "Okay, now. Think of the thing that happened that made you come to Bumby."

"I'd rather not." the girl said.

"I know from experience that it hurts, but it'll be the last time it'll hurt. Think of it as an unpleasant relative that you're watching finally leaving." Alice said. The girl did so and Alice collected the memory, putting it in the bottle. Snape hid it in his pocket and Alice put away her wand. "Now open your eyes." The girl opened her eyes. They seemed brighter and happier.

"You're right! It doesn't hurt anymore! Thank you so much!" the girl hugged Alice. "How'd you do it?" she asked.

"It's just the magic of the human mind." Alice answered.


End file.
